Love,Wealth ,Suffering and Loneliness
Today, I happen to read an article which stated,City woman owning property estimated at 30 crore INR of real asset( or 5 million USD) dies of neglect ,as neither her family nor the state took care of her though a law for the welfare of senior citizens mandates medical support and old age homes.
Woman died penniless after being deserted by the family of a deceased brother living in an adjacent bungalow and another brother who is settled in the US. Natasha Sara, a beauty parlour owner who stays nearby, found her "lying desolate on the bed, frail and ill" and looked after her till the end.
Now India or Asian societies unlike the Western one had the tradition of living with parents, caring for them in their old age, which of course appears to be giving away.
It is common knowledge that norms and values of Indian society are not being followed and senior citizens not respected as they used to be
Where is Love, Compassion for the one who need it, or Is Wealth the only quest in life,but can even Wealth provide the warmth of human touch, love and care, or as we humans are only going to live in delusions which would finally evaporate during our last days of life.
I dont want to introduce any judgement value, as ultimately all actions of intention(noble or ignoble) would give rise to seeds of Karmic fruit in future(thats atleast idea of Buddhism), even though one would claim Karma and its theory are mere assumptions or hypothesis, but then whatever assumption which enables you to become a better person, someone who knows how to sacrifice, love ,develop compassion for others, something which would enable you to offer a hand to one sinking in the morass of life ,to provide empathy to one who is in pain and suffering, then such hypothesis is well worth following.
What does Buddhism tells us about parents and looking after downtrodden? Well I am sharing few snippets from Tipitaka, you all can draw your conclusions.
1)Gijjha Játaka (No.164).-Once the Bodhisatta was born among the vultures on Gijjhakútapabbata. On one occasion there was a great storm of wind and rain, and the vultures were forced to seek shelter in a ditch outside Benares. A merchant, seeing them, provided them with a warm fire and food. When the weather cleared the vultures returned to their haunts, and decided to give the merchant whatever finery and jewellery they might find in their wanderings.
The story was told in reference to a monk who was charged with having supported his poor parents. The Buddha praised the man's action, saying that such gratitude was an excellent quality.
2)Nandiyamiga Jataka-The Bodhisatta was once born as a deer named Nandiya and looked after his parents. The king of Kosala was very fond of hunting, and his subjects, that they might be left in peace, planned to drive deer from the forest into a closed park where the king might hunt. Nandiya, seeing the men come, left his parents in the thicket and joined the deer who were being driven into the park so that his parents might not be seen. The deer agreed each to take his turn in being killed by the king. The Bodhisatta stayed on even in spite of a message brought by a Brahmin from his parents though he could have escaped. But he wished to show his gratitude to the king who had supplied the deer with food and drink. When his turn came to be killed, he appeared fearlessly before the king, and by the power of his virtue the king's bow refused to shoot. The king thereupon realized Nandiya's goodness and granted him a boon. Nandiya asked for security for all living beings, and established the king in the path of virtue.
The story was related in reference to a monk who was blamed for looking after his parents. But the Buddha praised him.
3.Ti-saranágamaniya Thera-In the time of Vipassí Buddha he was a householder in Bandhumatí, where he tended his blind parents. Being prevented by his parents' affliction from joining the Order, he repeated the Three Refuges under a monk, named Nisabha, and honoured them throughout his life of one hundred thousand years. He was eighty times born as king of the gods. In this last life he was born in a rich family in Sávatthi, and, having heard the Buddha preach, became an arahant at the age of seventy-seven. Ap.i.74f.
4.Dhammapada -- Sukhà matteyyatà loke
atho petteyyatà sukhà
Sukhà sàma atà loke
atho brahma-atà sukhà. 332
Translated as -
Pleasant in this world is ministering to mother. Ministering to father too is pleasant in this world. Pleasant is ministering to ascetics. Pleasant too is ministering to the Noble Ones.
5.Sigalovada Sutta ( a sermon given to young Sigala and hence the term Vada or discourse to Sigala)
Buddha offers his advice to young Sigala on how to conduct his life ,on how Ethics(since he as brahmin was interested in merely rituals) should be internalised.
Buddha to Sigala-
"And how, young householder, does a noble disciple cover the six quarters?
"The following should be looked upon as the six quarters. The parents should be looked upon as the East, teachers as the South, wife and children as the West, friends and associates as the North, servants and employees as the Nadir, ascetics and brahmins as the Zenith.
"In five ways, young householder, a child should minister to his parents as the East:
6. Cittalatávimána-Vatthu.-The story of a poor man who looked after his parents, refusing to marry, and engaged in various acts of piety. After death he was born in a twelve-league vimána in Távatimsa. Vv.vii.1; VvA.299f.
7.Maha Mogallana Thera -
His sad death is said to have been the result of a sin committed by him in a previous birth. Acting on the instigation of his wife, he had taken his blind parents into a forest, where, pretending that they were attacked by thieves, he had beaten them to death. For this deed he suffered in hell for innumerable years, and in his last birth lost his life by violence.
8.Catukka Nipata- ( from Anguttara Nikaya)
Mother and father and the Enlightened One,
Tathagata and those who follow Him,
Whose entreateth ill, stores up much woe.
For such ill-deeds to parents, in this life
The Sages blame that man, and in the life
To come to utter ruin goes he.
Mother and father and the Enlightened One
Tathagata, and those who follow Him,
Whose entreateth well, stores up much bliss.
For such good deeds to parents, in this life
The Sages praise that man, and afterwards
In the world of heaven he reaps happiness.
9.Magha
Samyutta Nikaya Commentary says Magha was not the Bodhistatta, but that his life was like that of a Bodhisatta (Bodhisattacariyá viyassa cariyá ahosi); in which case the name Maghavá belongs only to the present Sakka. Magha took upon himself seven vows (vatapadáni), which brought him birth as Sakka: to maintain his parents, to revere his elders, to use gentle language, to utter no slander, to be free from avarice, to practise generosity and open handed liberality and kindness, to speak the truth, to be free from anger (S.i.227f.; SA.i.267).
Woman died penniless after being deserted by the family of a deceased brother living in an adjacent bungalow and another brother who is settled in the US. Natasha Sara, a beauty parlour owner who stays nearby, found her "lying desolate on the bed, frail and ill" and looked after her till the end.
Now India or Asian societies unlike the Western one had the tradition of living with parents, caring for them in their old age, which of course appears to be giving away.
It is common knowledge that norms and values of Indian society are not being followed and senior citizens not respected as they used to be
Most children, in the last three decades, prefer to stay abroad... leaving behind old and ailing parents who have nothing to fall back on.
One can though blame on callousness of Indian state for not providing care for its citizens and several others,but the condition of that woman despite her wealth sets one thinkingWhere is Love, Compassion for the one who need it, or Is Wealth the only quest in life,but can even Wealth provide the warmth of human touch, love and care, or as we humans are only going to live in delusions which would finally evaporate during our last days of life.
I dont want to introduce any judgement value, as ultimately all actions of intention(noble or ignoble) would give rise to seeds of Karmic fruit in future(thats atleast idea of Buddhism), even though one would claim Karma and its theory are mere assumptions or hypothesis, but then whatever assumption which enables you to become a better person, someone who knows how to sacrifice, love ,develop compassion for others, something which would enable you to offer a hand to one sinking in the morass of life ,to provide empathy to one who is in pain and suffering, then such hypothesis is well worth following.
What does Buddhism tells us about parents and looking after downtrodden? Well I am sharing few snippets from Tipitaka, you all can draw your conclusions.
1)Gijjha Játaka (No.164).-Once the Bodhisatta was born among the vultures on Gijjhakútapabbata. On one occasion there was a great storm of wind and rain, and the vultures were forced to seek shelter in a ditch outside Benares. A merchant, seeing them, provided them with a warm fire and food. When the weather cleared the vultures returned to their haunts, and decided to give the merchant whatever finery and jewellery they might find in their wanderings.
The story was told in reference to a monk who was charged with having supported his poor parents. The Buddha praised the man's action, saying that such gratitude was an excellent quality.
2)Nandiyamiga Jataka-The Bodhisatta was once born as a deer named Nandiya and looked after his parents. The king of Kosala was very fond of hunting, and his subjects, that they might be left in peace, planned to drive deer from the forest into a closed park where the king might hunt. Nandiya, seeing the men come, left his parents in the thicket and joined the deer who were being driven into the park so that his parents might not be seen. The deer agreed each to take his turn in being killed by the king. The Bodhisatta stayed on even in spite of a message brought by a Brahmin from his parents though he could have escaped. But he wished to show his gratitude to the king who had supplied the deer with food and drink. When his turn came to be killed, he appeared fearlessly before the king, and by the power of his virtue the king's bow refused to shoot. The king thereupon realized Nandiya's goodness and granted him a boon. Nandiya asked for security for all living beings, and established the king in the path of virtue.
The story was related in reference to a monk who was blamed for looking after his parents. But the Buddha praised him.
3.Ti-saranágamaniya Thera-In the time of Vipassí Buddha he was a householder in Bandhumatí, where he tended his blind parents. Being prevented by his parents' affliction from joining the Order, he repeated the Three Refuges under a monk, named Nisabha, and honoured them throughout his life of one hundred thousand years. He was eighty times born as king of the gods. In this last life he was born in a rich family in Sávatthi, and, having heard the Buddha preach, became an arahant at the age of seventy-seven. Ap.i.74f.
4.Dhammapada -- Sukhà matteyyatà loke
atho petteyyatà sukhà
Sukhà sàma atà loke
atho brahma-atà sukhà. 332
Translated as -
Pleasant in this world is ministering to mother. Ministering to father too is pleasant in this world. Pleasant is ministering to ascetics. Pleasant too is ministering to the Noble Ones.
5.Sigalovada Sutta ( a sermon given to young Sigala and hence the term Vada or discourse to Sigala)
Buddha offers his advice to young Sigala on how to conduct his life ,on how Ethics(since he as brahmin was interested in merely rituals) should be internalised.
Buddha to Sigala-
"And how, young householder, does a noble disciple cover the six quarters?
"The following should be looked upon as the six quarters. The parents should be looked upon as the East, teachers as the South, wife and children as the West, friends and associates as the North, servants and employees as the Nadir, ascetics and brahmins as the Zenith.
"In five ways, young householder, a child should minister to his parents as the East:
(i) Having supported me I shall support them,"In five ways, young householder, the parents thus ministered to as the East by their children, show their compassion:
(ii) I shall do their duties,
(iii) I shall keep the family tradition,
(iv) I shall make myself worthy of my inheritance,
(v) furthermore I shall offer alms in honour of my departed relatives.
(i) they restrain them from evil,"In these five ways do children minister to their parents as the East and the parents show their compassion to their children. Thus is the East covered by them and made safe and secure.
(ii) they encourage them to do good,
(iii) they train them for a profession,
(iv) they arrange a suitable marriage,
(v) at the proper time they hand over their inheritance to them.
6. Cittalatávimána-Vatthu.-The story of a poor man who looked after his parents, refusing to marry, and engaged in various acts of piety. After death he was born in a twelve-league vimána in Távatimsa. Vv.vii.1; VvA.299f.
7.Maha Mogallana Thera -
His sad death is said to have been the result of a sin committed by him in a previous birth. Acting on the instigation of his wife, he had taken his blind parents into a forest, where, pretending that they were attacked by thieves, he had beaten them to death. For this deed he suffered in hell for innumerable years, and in his last birth lost his life by violence.
8.Catukka Nipata- ( from Anguttara Nikaya)
Mother and father and the Enlightened One,
Tathagata and those who follow Him,
Whose entreateth ill, stores up much woe.
For such ill-deeds to parents, in this life
The Sages blame that man, and in the life
To come to utter ruin goes he.
Mother and father and the Enlightened One
Tathagata, and those who follow Him,
Whose entreateth well, stores up much bliss.
For such good deeds to parents, in this life
The Sages praise that man, and afterwards
In the world of heaven he reaps happiness.
9.Magha
Samyutta Nikaya Commentary says Magha was not the Bodhistatta, but that his life was like that of a Bodhisatta (Bodhisattacariyá viyassa cariyá ahosi); in which case the name Maghavá belongs only to the present Sakka. Magha took upon himself seven vows (vatapadáni), which brought him birth as Sakka: to maintain his parents, to revere his elders, to use gentle language, to utter no slander, to be free from avarice, to practise generosity and open handed liberality and kindness, to speak the truth, to be free from anger (S.i.227f.; SA.i.267).
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