Question: Today I saw some children roaming outside my hostel. They were trying to get some money or food but no one came out to help them. In what ways can we help others?
Speaker: Helping others is great. But to help others, we must first be free of our petty issues. A mind caught in its own small affairs can never be large enough to help others.
Once the Buddha saw a man trying to slaughter a goat. Buddha tried to stop him. The man said he will get flesh from the goat.
Do you know what Buddha did?
He offered his own flesh to the man.
But to help others, one must be free of greed, thoughts of future, expectations and petty entanglements.
Question: Sir, people say that Buddha was enlightened. I never get what is ‘enlightenment’ and why do people run after getting enlightened. What is this word and how did it originate?
Speaker: Enlightenment is no special achievement. Buddha gave it just the right name- nirvan . Nirvaan means ‘the fire is no more’.
We are all burning. Man is constantly living in a house on fire (world). Do we see that we are constantly restless, ambitious, afraid, hopeful, insecure, and cunning? That is the fire in which the mind is burning.
When the mind is not burning, that is enlightenment.
-Based on my interactions on various e-forums.
Dated : 4th December,’14
