21 June 2020

Acrylic paint on canvas

Last night I watched the TV series Buddha: The King of Kings. It was an episode about Nirvana in which the Lord Buddha said to his disciples, "Do not believe in anything, including what I say. Practice and see in your own experience if it is true for you." I was so impressed with this statement that I couldn't sleep well. This morning, while doing my research on YouTube, I came across a video titled Teachings from the Buddha TV series: Episode 2. It was about a conversation between Sakyamuni Buddha and Sanjay regarding non-attachment, shedding more light on the concept.

Sanjay : I am not asking about my belief or non-belief. I am asking what is your principle?
Sakyamuni Buddha : If any person holds on to one principle, then he loses his freedom. He becomes a fundamentalist. He feels that only his principles are right. That only his belief is true and that everything else is false. When the freedom of thought dies, one thought takes over. The person becomes narrow-minded. And that is where conflict and struggle begin. A belief regarding anything, even a belief in disbelief smothers you. There is great power in thought. It can extend its grip to the roots. If you stick to your principles, it becomes a hurdle on your spiritual path. If you fall in love with your principles, you can never attain enlightenment. I talk from my experience. My path is neither based on principles nor on any philosophy. It is only based on my experience. The experience of the ultimate truth.
Sanjay : Buddha, what if someone accepts your views as his principles?
Sakyamuni Buddha : My path is built from learning experience. It can neither be held onto nor can it be worshipped. You can say that
my wisdom is akin to a boat. It can be used to cross the river only once. But after crossing the river, we do not carry the boat with us.
Sanjay : I feel like bowing my head before you. But there is still a feeling that is holding me back.
Sakyamuni Buddha : There are three types of feelings. Happy, sad, and neutral. The roots of the three feelings are in our body and
mind. Feelings rise like waves and then they die down on their own. I suggest looking deep into the rising feelings. Understand and know them. Where are they originating from? Be it a happy feeling or a sad feeling, just see where it is emerging from, when you go to its root, you will find that there is emptiness there. An emptiness like the blue sky. The sky is no doubt empty, but it is engulfing everything inside it.
Sanjay : Like a piece of fabric.
Sakyamuni Buddha : Continue learning. Gradually, while learning you will find that the waves have stopped emerging. The source of peace within us will not be disturbed any further. If you go deeper, you'll find what your faults were. That you had given importance to trivial worldly, mortal things. Ignorance is the root of all disparity. I only talk about meditation. Meditation will drive away ignorance. Ignorance cannot be cured by rituals, fasting, sacrifices, or anything else. You were in a deep sleep for really long, Sanjay. Wake up! Rise! Understand yourself.

After listening to their conversation...
Sanjay : Kamin, then what is your path?
Kamin : My path is art. Art is the process of self-enquiry, as well as the process of seeking to understand society and nature, to the point where we are able to perceive beauty in everything, when our perception is pure.
Sanjay : Then what is beauty?
Sakyamu Buddha : Beauty is eternal. It shall not be the cause of suffering. The compassionate heart shall not keep anything bounded. A peaceful and happy heart is the ultimate truth. Just practice and this door shall open to all of you. All you have to do is to take the first step.

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