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________________ 40 PRABUDDH JEEVAN NOVEMBER 2013 Thus He Was Thus He Spake GOYANKAJI "Every religion has an outer form or shell, and an others. And, less surprise that he drew people from inner essence or core. The outer shell consists of rites, across the world for who it became quickly obvious rituals, ceremonies, beliefs, myths and doctrines. These that Goenkaji was a man without a self-serving religious vary from one religion to another. But there is an inner agenda. He may have been a saint and a great man to core common to all religions: the universal teachings be celebrated but more than that, he was a teacher of morality and charity, of a disciplined and pure mind who would show them the way. He had stumbled upon full of love, compassion, goodwill and tolerance. It is the truth to free one's self from misery and wished to this common denominator that religious leaders ought share it with as many people as he could. to emphasize, and that religious adherents ought to Of Indian descent, Goenkaji was born and raised in practice. If proper importance is given to the essence Burma. Here he met U Ba Khin, the man who would of all religions and greater tolerance is shown for their become his teacher and learned Vipassana. He moved superficial aspects, conflict can be minimized." to India and began teaching Vipassana in 1969 - "Every religion worthy of the name calls on its followers towards the end of the flower child decade, when to live a moral and ethical way of life, to attain mastery hippies were still trawling through the subcontinent in over the mind and to cultivate purity of heart. One search of nirvana. Many of them turned to Goenkaji tradition tells us, "Love thy neighbour"; another says, and so Vipassana centres, in the north, especially, still Salaam walekum - "May peace be with you"; still draw foreigners seeking to experience the truth as another says, Bhavatu sabbamangalam or Sarve shared by him. bhavantu sukhinah - "May all beings be happy." Goenkaji taught more than 300 courses in India and Whether it is the Bible, the Koran or the Gita, the scriptures call for peace and amity. From Mahavir to Even so, meditation centres run videos and audios of Jesus, all great founders of religions have been ideals Goenkaji initiating seekers into Vipassana. There are of tolerance and peace. Yet our world is often driven Vipassana centres in India, Canada, the United States, by religious and sectarian strife, or even war- because Australia, New Zealand, France, the United Kingdom, we give importance only to the outer shell of religion religion Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Nepal and other and neglect its essence. The result is a lack of love countries. and compassion in the mind." At the UN Peace Summit in 2000, a gathering of SN Goenka at the 2000 UN Peace Summit spiritual leaders from around the world, Goenkaji SN Goenka (Satya Narayan Goenka) passed away quoted the Buddha: last month. If one were to imbibe his teachings to their "The Buddha said. "Animosity can be eradicated not fullest, one would not spend time in mourning him. by animosity but only by its opposite. This is an eternal Instead, one would pay homage by simply following Dharma (spiritual lawl." What is called Dharma in India Vipassana, that is, the act of stilling the mind with one's has has nothing to do with Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, breath and drawing all consciousness to one's body, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism or any other "ism". its surface and the sparks of changes in it. In doing It is this simple truth: before you harm others, you first this, one would free the body of one negative thought harm yourself by generating mental negativity and by one after another. This is a technique that began with removing the negativity, you can find peace within and the Buddha. strengthen peace in the world." It's no wonder that Goenkaji convinced hundreds O RESHMA JAIN of thousands of people that change could only come The Narrators from within and not by inflicting forced rituals upon Mobile: 9820427444
SR No.525998
Book TitlePrabuddha Jivan 2013 Year 61 Ank 01 to 12
Original Sutra AuthorN/A
AuthorDhanvant Shah
PublisherMumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh
Publication Year2013
Total Pages540
LanguageGujarati
ClassificationMagazine, India_Prabuddha Jivan, & India
File Size18 MB
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