Random Musings

Thoughts. Where do they come from? What is their source? If we delve deep into psychology, there are various explanations. As a practicing Buddhist, what I have learnt in my 25 year journey is that at any point of time, who we are i.e. how we think is a sum product of all influences on us from this lifetime and maybe even past (if one were to believe in the Hindu/Buddhist theory of an eternal life.  Life as we know it - is what we experience, observe and feel on a moment to moment basis. Time and space are the two dimesions that matter the most in this experience. Why do I say this? Because while we are three dimensional creatures, in reality we have the soul of a "gypsy". No matter how many chambers and buildings might confine us and disconnect us from true nature, our mind wanders.  Sitting on a plane? What are you thinking? If this is not your fist flight and flying does not scare you, you might be thinking of family, the vacation you are planning etc. So in three dimesion...

How does one live true to oneself?  For years this thought troubled me. While the concept seems very fascinating, what is the true me? A small town boy who went on to study in the huge metropolis of Delhi in an extremely snobbish and elitist liberal arts college? A young man who went on to study in a large public funded university in North East US amidst a WASP majority? And then in his late 20s came back to settle in a numbing cosmo called Mumbai working in the ultra competitive field of Wealth Management?  Add to the complexities here - born as the son of a Collector. Grew up as a privileged kid amidst the 80s and 90s. Saw the height of powers a man can attain as the son of a Chief Secretary. And how all that power vanishes once the post goes away.  Life is never easy for anyone. Growing up is a process of gradual self discovery. But when one is born in a family with extremity of anything - power, money, fame - The way one thinks about life changes. Throw into the cauld...

For some time now, I have been thinking of sharing some of the insights I have gained through 16 years of my spiritual seeking with a wider audience in a manner which might be easy to relate to.  There are many giants who walked on this earth before us and about whom there is a large enough literature to be able to learn about them. These are those I would refer to as "Masters" in this series. And the biggest of them in my mind, the man who lived a huge, titanic life was Gautam Buddha (as we call him in India or Shakyamuni Buddha as he is referred to in historical accounts). One of his teachings which I find the most enlightening is the concept of "dependent origination" . Wikipedia defines it as: Pratītyasamutpāda  ( Sanskrit :  प्रतीत्यसमुत्पाद ), commonly translated as  dependent origination  or  dependent arising , states that all  dharmas  ("things") arise in dependence upon other  dharmas : "if this exists, that ...