What Do You Think Of The Buddha?

 

Anong writes,

Dr. Gupta, I am from Thailand. I have been reading your writings for almost two years. I have introduced it to my Sangha and we read and discuss your discourses fairly regularly because, like you, we are interested in understanding our lives. My country is mainly Buddhist. And I wanted to ask you what you think of the Buddha and Buddhism?

Thank you for the kind words.

Anong, Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha) is the most inspirational man I have ever come across. No man in the history of humankind has touched me more deeply than this man.

But the thing that I gained most from him are not his teachings. The thing that struck me most about him is the very thing that no one ever speaks of: His Realization.

When I say this, the first thing that will come to your mind is the Realization of his true nature. His realization of his Enlightenment.

This is NOT what I am speaking of.

The Realization that I am speaking of is not the one he attained from his quest. But the one that set him on it.

It was the realization that he was going to become old, get sick, and die.

This was not some head-filled knowledge. For if it was, he would have never embarked upon his quest.

Why?

Because the impetus would not have been strong enough. Curiosity or common knowledge has not the power to set someone on such an arduous path.

This was a visceral realization that shook his heart. A realization he felt in his bones. A realization that changed his entire life the moment he realized it.

Mind you, he was not a great, moral, and benevolent human being for embarking upon this quest. He was, as human beings go, common. Though he was a prince, he was still a common human being.

And this one realization set him on a path that would be INEVITABLE for any human being.

The reason that there are not many Buddhas is NOT because of silly little stories about miracles not happening at the time of their birth.

The reason that there are not many Buddhas is because there are not many human beings who have realized that they are, IN FACT, going to grow old, get sick, and die.

Certainly, they know it in their HEAD. But such knowledge isn’t worth a scrap. It has no power. It is the classic trivial-pursuit-sort of knowledge. Cocktail party knowledge. Useless knowledge.

Realizations change people. Knowledge simply allows them to chat.

As for Buddhism, I think it misses the point.

I will firstly confess that no man is more eager than I to learn from Tibetan ascetics about the nature of the mind. And such highly evolved human beings are not pillars of religion. They are much more. Much greater.

I also acknowledge the peacefulness of the Rinpoches and the monks that inhabit lands around the world.

But I am not interested in peace or rituals or customs or even knowledge. And I don’t believe The Buddha was either.

I think Buddhism is more about the -ism than it is about The Buddha.

Siddhartha Gautama’s quest was entirely personal. And selfish. And so it must be. For I do not accept the idea of altruism. It is a myth. For unless one first helps himself, he is in no position to help another.

Siddhartha Gautama serves as an inspirational possibility for what a human being can become.

And as is so often the case, instead of becoming the possibility itself, man took the easy way out and created a religion in his name.

He had no need for religion. His quest was not religious at all. His goal was not to create disciples or temples or sects or religions.

His goal was to escape the endless cycle of birth and death known as Samsara.

To become a Buddha is difficult.

To create a BuddhISM is easy.

Anong, why create a middle man?

Why don’t you drop the -ism and become A Buddha?

Dr. Gupta travels the world working with True Seekers. His clientele consists of professional athletes, executives, and celebrities. He helps them become The God Of Their Own Life.

Kapil@KapilGuptaMD.com