By Siri Gamage –
Dr. Siri Gamage
Those of us with Sri Lankan heritage, among others, approach matters relating to mind and body, life and death, human sufferings of various types, and the means to happiness through Buddhist teachings. For this purpose, we tend to use teachings of Buddha in various forms. Buddhism has evolved from a philosophy of life meant for better understanding of our reality relating to the self and other as well as the universe to a religion largely consumed by ritual practices meant for daily relief from sufferings. In the process, various forms of practice from other faith traditions have also entered our way of life –some not necessarily relating to the fundamental or core problems of life. In the meantime, problems facing the world and people have intensified. Many are seeking solutions of one kind or another and some are pushed toward radical and violent solutions while many adopt a lethargic attitude simply contend with daily living.
The Buddhist teaching, analysis and interpretation focuse mainly on one set of concepts, theories and explanations to the exclusion of others. Since it is believed that the Buddha in his early life explored other Indian religious/philosophical traditions and did not see a value in them, later attempting to discover the ultimate truth about life process, its failings and the way to nibbana by himself, we have generally focused on his teachings to the exclusion of other religious religions even from India (Hindus of course follow Hinduism). I wonder if we can still find other sources of wisdom from Indian intellectual traditions -if not religious traditions- that can assist us to comprehend today’s problems better? In this context, the conversations by mystic and visionary Sadhguru from South India is highly relevant and useful. After my son alerted me to his talks available on the internet and u-tube, I have been listening to the ideas, explanations and reasoning that Sadhguru presents across the continents in universities and world forums based on his understandings achieved through Aadi Yoga. I believe those of us concerned with contemporary issues facing the humankind need to listen to Sadhguru so that we can move away from narrow interpretations and also develop our inner self and intellect better.
He talks about the way our body is made physically and the power of intellect beyond the memory we have accumulated. According to him, mind is not limited to the memory and the brain. It is everywhere in the body. Human beings as blessed we are in comparison to other animals with the power to think, meditate, reason, compare etc.are not using all components of intellect. According to Sadhguru there are four elements to our intellect. If we are constantly reacting to what we receive via our senses, then we are bound to be anxious, stressed, and not live the life as it meant to be. We need to take steps and strive to develop our consciousness, as he calls it, in order to take control of our mind and body rather than succumb to compulsive behaviour.
Yogi Sadhguru engages with a range of scientists, medical specialists, academics, youths in universities across North America, UK, India and elsewhere on contemporary topics including leadership, environment, education, and priorities in life. He points out the limitations of science and technology in the process while acknowledging the advancements they have achieved in terms of providing for necessities of material life. He is very articulate, and communicates his ideas and responses in an easily understood way. He is on a mission to educate the world on the need to take active steps for self-engineering if we are to preserve the planet as it is for next generations. He has established two centres in South India and one in Tennessee, USA manned by volunteers. Indian government has recognised his contributions to Indian society and the world. Instead of promoting ritualistic behaviour, he promotes self- understanding or inner engineering as the solution to contemporary problems of life and society.
Though he is critical of some educational and religious practices, his style of talking and explaining through examples from his own life reminds me of the style used by the Buddha in his long mission after achieving enlightenment. He is to come to Melbourne in July this year for a two-day program. If he has not been to Sri Lanka, it is timely that he is invited to do so.
Further references
https://ishayoga.org.au/sadhguru-in-australia
JD / June 17, 2019
What all these Indian Brahminic – gurus teach is what Buddha claimed. According to
Buddha, the memory is not inside the brain On the other hand, if you try to understand how they explained the double slit experiment, that is by including the consciousness as the additional variable. As Buddha dhamma explains the consciousness is infinite and it is the difference of the rate of changes in the Pure-octats’ (buddhist Superstrings) birth, existence and the death. On the other hand, Buddha has claimed that there is no memory inside the Brain. So, If you try to explain memory in terms of quantum physics, it should be the quantum entanglement. Buddha dhamma entirely depends on the Mind,. What Buddha says is for everything, I emphasize the word FOR EVERYTHING and the mind is responsible or for word, actions and mental activity all mind comes the first. So, inner engineering is not body anatomy. It is disciplining and developing mind. Buddha is one such human being over the samasara (that is during infinite number of life times, that specific human being has developed his mind via words, action, mental activity, training and skills. The result is Buddha who Buddha identified as fully awakened, fully trained or fully skilled human whose mind knows the whole universe.
Another supporting fact is that Western science says that both the Universe and the Brain activity are via Holographic activity. In other words, a sand grain large a small portion of the Universe has the whole activity of the Universe. Similarly, a very little portion of the brain can remember the whole lot that the whole brain does. Some where it says, only a 4% of the brain is enough to fulfill the activity of the whole brain. I think my very brief explanation gives some idea.
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JD / June 17, 2019
There is worm holes in Theoretical Physics. That can be explained by using IRDHI (magical powers) maneuvers that was carried out by what a very powerful Arahant Mugalan did. Buddhist history says, Arahant Mugalan reached a far away earth like land where human beings (large bodied) lived. Even though, spiritually they are very advanced, human like large individuals, lived there, that earth also was far larger than the human earth. Anyway, way the Arahant Mugalan reached there can be explained only via modern story of Worm holes
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Yusuf / June 17, 2019
JD,
Are these worm hole in the toilet made by very large worms?
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JD / June 17, 2019
Buddhism has explained very well. But can be found only for those who are looking for those and not for those just go on criticizing that everything they know. Whether it is Capitalism or socialism, everything fails because of GREED, HATRED and IGNORANCE. On the other hand, even the best philosophy eventually one day disappear. The best example, that you would easily understand is roman Kingdom existed only 400 years. After the it began breaking down from inside. At the same time, contemporary – Byzantine Kingdom which existed by side in the east existed 1200 years. today, those who believe religions came from the Middle east, feel very arrogant, very superior and above all. they do not feel humble and do not try to listen to others. See many Native tribes lived in ancient cultures, after so much destruction, they also learned how to live in harmony with the environment and the other Tribes. So, take the technologically advanced and financially rich cultures or countries. They are still in the primitive destruction phase. It looks the WW II was not enough to understand it. So, go for another round and destroy the world and then understand Greed, Hatred, Superiority feeling, arrogance … never work. The bottom line is India is very slow. and looks primitive even now in this space age, but, one day they grow the most and all others who are very advanced will be jumping from tree to tree again. In Science what I learned, even though you did not find it, do not says it is not there. That is how everything is. There will be a time you will find it all once you change your thinking pattern.
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Peacelover / June 17, 2019
JD
Please comedown to earth and see how the followers of Buddhism , their leaders, monks and their heads lead their lives. Show me a person who follows what Buddha has preached, in Srilanka. From top to bottom, everyone who claimed a Buddhist or ardent Buddhist filled with greed hatred and ignorance. There is no true Buddhist in Srilanka. Ask how many of them follows five precepts and eightfold path. Borrow the Benz car from Mahanayake and travel across Srilanka and look for anyone with ” disciplined and developed mind” . Find out anyone who has developed his or her mind atleast to travel along a minimum acceptable level of middle way. The end result will be disappointment mate. Our society is hiding behind religions . It is a safe place to hide all their immoral activities. The religious heads of each and every religion are guilty of not following what they preach. Instead they accommodate roughes murderers and immoralists and lead their life comfortably with their financial contributions. First ask all these religious heads to declare their assets deposits and income, before you ask Sri Gamage to change his thinking pattern. Finally reminding you a conversation between a philosopher and theologian: Theologian accused the philosopher that he was like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat which was not there. Then philosopher accused theologian in reply, he was like a blind man in the dark room looking for a black cat which was not there but he declared to have found there. Interesting !
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Old codger / June 17, 2019
Sadhguru indeed knows how to put forward his ideas. Unlike that fake Sai Baba, he doesn’t depend on magic tricks. Not does he claim to be a god .
He is very witty and his English is very good , unlike some of our aspiring missionary monks whose mind-blowingly boring sermons in fractured English work better than sleeping pills.
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Walasmulle Sira / June 17, 2019
I have been a devotee and disciple of Yogi Sadhguru for the last two decades.
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I highly recommend him to anyone keen to disprove Buddhit beliefs, and is ignorant of modern scientific beliefs.
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Om Shanti.
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Steve / June 17, 2019
He should be invited to Sri Lanka to sit in the Speaker’s chair in Parliament for one day and teach our Politicians how they should take care of the country and all of its citizens.
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EVP / June 17, 2019
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Steve / June 17, 2019
EVP
No you SOB.
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Juliano Gemma / June 17, 2019
In hindsight aren’t the teachings of all the religious prophets put together outdated and irrelevant to a great extent in the present context? Bible talks of Jerusalem and Isreal only. Qoran mentions Mecca, Medina always as if there was nothing else in the world existed. Buddha of course lived in an era of Magadha, lichchavi and empires and small kingdoms and never traveled outside North East India. Bagavat Geetha also does not have a clue on the world {people} outside. Can therefore these religions be termed universal and for all times? Shouldn’t there be any modern Messiahs to enlighten the present humanity? This way we can slowly eliminate the organized religions and the evil institutions. To hell with the Pope, the Ayatollah, the Mahanayakes, and the Swamis. let us have modern day Guides like this Sathguru. ( I have still not listened to his talks) We need modern day Gurus who are capable of taking us through the intricate and confounding world through innovative ideas.
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JD / June 18, 2019
Juliano Gemma: Your world is no different to that of a frog living in a well. If you are lucky and if you have desire, you may learn You spread the Bible every where in the world, and you did not think that you must read other books too or learn other doctrines too. That superiority complex of yours made you dumb.
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Deva / June 18, 2019
Juliano Gemma
You are spot on. All the organized religions in this world are totally outdate, utterly useless and only a money making God Business. All their teachings are more than a thousand years old, it has exceeded the expiry date. That is why they are all engaged in war and hatred. Today religion has become a poison and many people in the civilized world are keeping away from religion leaving it to small minded people. Now, the scientists are talking about multi-universes. We definitely need some modern spiritual teachers/guru with the philosophy for the modern world. Sadhguru is not a follower of any God or anybody’s philosophy, he has his own and quite interesting and modern.
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Rationalist / June 22, 2019
Deva you are Right!
Sathguru may be the New Maithreya Buddha. A Teacher suited to the Modern Mind!
We are not living among the People who Lived in the Gautama Buddha’s Time!
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Deva / June 18, 2019
His solution to the religious conflicts,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoNZ5xB4giE
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Uthungan / June 22, 2019
Steve
How will it be, suppose the Satguru and the Dalai Lama came on the same platform in SL to engage in a TV discussion on Buddhism?
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Douglas / June 17, 2019
This Human Being, named “Sathguru”, to me is an EXAMPLE of what a “HUMAN BEING” could be. I value and appreciate his RELAXATION built into his character and behavior. Dr. Gamage, please ask him and find out that aspect of life, when you happen to meet him in Australia. To me all what he is and what he tries to TELL the world is EMBODIED in that “RELAXATION”. Please find that out for yourself.
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E.wasantha / June 18, 2019
The Circular Instructions issued on public officials dress code is nothing new but far back late 1980’s .
PSC memers questioned Incumbant Public Admin Secretary at it’s procedings see that they have not considered the applicability of such Circular Instructions.
Reference secular is applicable for All Public Servants working in Mininitries , Government Departments and Provincial Councils. They are expected to see all the public servants are on prescribed office Attiar depending on the catergory they belong to but without religous or ethnic differentiation while they attending and discharging official duties and functions. Religous observases are not considered as official functions but such matters are covered under differant Circular Instructions.
Cicular issued on dress code for public servants is not relavant to the scope of PSC examining suject area i.e.the 21st Bombing but from the security screning of more or less 1.5 millon.public servant are to be considered as the majority entering daily into their respective and most are vulnerable official premises from security point of view.
Some of the PSC committee members may have misunderstanding about the applicability of Circular Instructions issued on dress code for public servants are also generaly applied to all other general public when they enter public office premises.
PSC members questioned Incumbant Public Admin Secretary mentioning that myth. It is also should note that Dress code for public servants is not the problem but other different practices on arriges and properties under different laws have lead to violate the rights of other comunities if we realy analyze.
Therefor summonig Mr Rathnasiriri before the PSC was invane and as the dress code not the problem but amy wearing prevent from identifying any person move about no whether to public offices or to streets or any where from the security angle.
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K.Pillai / June 18, 2019
Dr Siri Gamage points out {“Since it is believed that the Buddha in his early life explored other Indian religious/philosophical traditions……”}
Prince Siddharta saw the exploitation of the gullible through superstition which probably included astrology.
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Buddha teachings revolved around creating rational thinkers dedicated to peace and simple living. Such a society will be ideal to reach nibbana – a life free from material greed.
Unfortunately Buddhism as practiced today has reintroduced bigotry, commercial exploitation and the like.
Yogi Satguru will no doubt enlighten us here.
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Douglas / June 19, 2019
Dr. Siri Gamage: If I am to simplify my comment, in one word, this is a “POSSIBILITY”. That “Possibility” exists in every human being, as already proven by Gauthama Buddha, Jesus Christ; Mohammed at that peak and there were and are more in the religious, political, social, technological; scientific spheres . In the same manner, there are “Possibilities” to exist at very “LOW” levels too, and we have seen that too happening. In summery, all these “HIGH” and “LOW” levels of Human Beings are all “POSSIBILITIES”. That “Possibility” is “WITHIN” and no one from outside can give to anybody.
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