“Why Hold on?” – A Poem by Sri Laxmi

Yesterday was Buddha Pournima (Buddha’s appearance day). We don’t celebrate His birthday by doing anything special, as we are not Buddhists. But by chance, I went for a walk yesterday on my terrace. A glance at the moon revealed the true nature of reality. It was a full moon, and indeed, it was Buddha’s birthday.

Buddha’s teachings are not just for Buddhists. It is for people of all religions and walks of life. To see reality, as it is. To sharpen one’s perception, the Buddha’s teachings and practices are like a great medication that cures one’s deceptive ideas about life and reality.

A surgeon’s scalpel pierces, but it does its job. The Buddha’s teachings about suffering and impermanence are sharper than the surgeon’s tools. They pierce through all layers of delusion, revealing crystal-clear clarity about life and perceptions.

Many times I have wondered if I had been a Buddhist in my previous lives. I have seen that my insights are usually in line with Buddha’s teachings and observations. The insights that emerged yesterday are eerily similar, as I found out in my Google search about “mirage” and Buddhism.

I will quote this from another blog. These are the Buddha’s words:

“Form is like a lump of foam,
Feeling like a water bubble;
Perception is like a mirage,
Volitions like a plantain trunk,
And consciousness like an illusion,
So explained the Kinsman of the Sun.

“However one may ponder it
And carefully investigate it,
It appears but hollow and void
When one views it carefully. 

“With reference to this body
The One of Broad Wisdom has taught
That with the abandoning of three things
One sees this form discarded.

“When vitality, heat, and consciousness
Depart from this physical body,
Then it lies there cast away:
Food for others, without volition.

“Such is this continuum,
This illusion, beguiler of fools.
It is taught to be a murderer;
Here no substance can be found.

“A bhikkhu with energy aroused
Should look upon the aggregates thus,
Whether by day or at night,
Comprehending, ever mindful.

“He should discard all the fetters
And make a refuge for himself;
Let him fare as with head ablaze,
Yearning for the imperishable state.”

As you can see, the insights are similar in many ways. The nature of reality cannot be different viewing from the same perspective. Have you seen perspective drawings? The angles viewed from the same spot with the same amount of light produce similar drawings. You can liken this light to the consciousness and intellect of the person. In the same way, a man or woman born a thousand years later stands from the same perspective and views the nature of reality. The drawings have to agree. The Truth cannot be two.

In my future blog posts, I will discuss more about perceptions and experiences. Stay tuned!