Lokdipak Buddhguru

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text "Lokdipak Buddhguru" by Bechardas Doshi:

The book extract, "Lokdipak Buddhguru" (The World-Illuminating Buddha, the Guru), by Bechardas Doshi, discusses the cyclical nature of progress and decline in both individual lives and entire societies, drawing a parallel to the spokes of a chariot wheel. It argues that when a society is overwhelmed by negativity, injustice, deceit, ignorance, and immoral behavior, a great soul emerges to guide it back to the right path. The author posits that Lord Buddha's birth occurred under such circumstances, and this article offers an evaluation of Buddha that goes beyond popular beliefs and well-known narratives. The significance of the article is heightened by the proximity of Buddha Jayanti (Vaisakhi Purnima).

The text explains that the world operates like a wheel, constantly in motion, experiencing periods of ascent and descent. During times of ascent, wisdom flourishes, leading to less injustice and more truth, fostering goodwill and reducing envy. Conversely, during descent, injustice and untruth prevail, accompanied by increased selfishness, lack of restraint, and absence of goodwill.

The author suggests that when society becomes stagnant and oppressed, a powerful force is sent by nature to revitalize it, similar to how day follows night. This force arises from the collective will of the people seeking to overcome their stagnation, even risking their own lives to bring about positive change. Indian history, the text claims, has seen figures like Rama, Krishna, Vardhaman Mahavir, and Siddhartha Buddha emerge as embodiments of this collective willpower, born from the suffering of the oppressed.

The text draws a parallel between the eternal struggle of good and evil, truth and falsehood, and divine and demonic forces, noting that these forces have always coexisted in the world, with each having periods of dominance. When humanity becomes enslaved by its physical desires and is overtaken by uncontrolled lust, the "demonic" forces gain prominence. In such times, injustice, deceit, and ignorance reign, and people begin to mistake injustice for justice, lies for truth, and violence for non-violence. This leads to a state of great suffering, where people crave liberation and cry out for a "saint" to guide them. At such critical junctures, a saint appears, driven by the people's strong resolve, to cleanse the "kingdom of the devil" and reintroduce justice, ethics, and truth.

The author then specifically focuses on the birth of Buddha. He states that Siddhartha Buddha was born approximately 2,513 years ago (from 2008 AD), in 505 BCE, to King Shuddhodana and Queen Mahamaya. The text recounts the dream of Queen Mahamaya, where a white elephant with a lotus in its trunk entered her womb, signifying a great birth. Buddha entered his mother's womb under the Uttara Ashadha Nakshatra, and his birth occurred ten months later. His mother passed away seven days after his birth. The auspicious day of Buddha's birth is considered Vaisakhi Purnima, ten months after the Ashadha Purnima. After his mother's passing, he was raised by his maternal aunt, Mahaprajapati Gautami.

The text mentions that while many miracles and exaggerations are associated with Buddha, they signify his great influence and spiritual merit. Astrologers had predicted that the prince would become a yogi, leading his father to surround him with all the comforts and pleasures of life to prevent this.

Contrary to some beliefs, the text suggests Buddha was not born in Kapilavastu but was en route to his maternal home in Devdaha when his mother experienced labor pains. They stopped at Lumbini, a beautiful sal grove situated between Kapilavastu and Devdaha. It was there, under a sal tree, that the "torchbearer and world-illuminator" was born.

After his birth, King Shuddhodana celebrated the occasion grandly, and the child was named Siddhartha. At about eight years old, Siddhartha began his education, learning writing, arithmetic, and various arts. He later married Yashodhara, and they had a son named Rahula.

Siddhartha, being deeply perceptive, understood the prevailing societal conditions. He observed that in the name of religion, irreligion was rampant. The ruling Brahmins and Kshatriyas had neglected their duties, while the Shudras suffered immense oppression due to the caste system. Yagnas (sacrifices) were being used as a pretext for violence and exploitation. Meat-eating and alcohol consumption had become commonplace. Kings and Brahmins were exploiting the populace, and Shudras were treated as mere slaves. Women suffered in silence. The suffering of both humans and animals sacrificed in yagnas deeply affected Siddhartha, disturbing his peace.

He pondered the root cause of this suffering and how to alleviate it. He realized that his own comfortable existence contributed to the problem, as he too was benefiting from the exploitation of the people. This realization led him to a firm resolve to renounce his comforts, his wife, and his son. On an Ashadha Purnima, he left his palace with his charioteer, Channa, embarking on his "Great Renunciation" (Maha-bhinishkramana) to seek the solution to suffering.

Siddhartha began an intense ascetic practice, seeking to understand the root of suffering. He adopted the tradition of rigorous self-discipline prevalent among ascetics of his time, becoming a mendicant and meditating in solitude. His journey led him to Rajagriha (modern Rajgir), where he lived on simple food and water, begging for alms from all sections of society. He aimed to take the least amount of food, causing minimal inconvenience to the donors, much like a bee extracting nectar from a flower.

Upon receiving his first alms, filled with various foods, Siddhartha felt revulsion. He questioned himself about clinging to such sensitivities after renouncing royal luxuries. He realized that if he was to overcome the discrimination he had witnessed, he must abandon his own internal biases and prejudices, including those towards the food offered by the lower castes. He ate the mixed alms, strengthening his resolve.

In Rajagriha, King Bimbisara (Shrenika) was struck by Siddhartha's regal presence and youth. He sent messengers to inquire about him, learning he was meditating near Pandav Parvat. The King then personally visited Siddhartha. In their conversation, Bimbisara offered Siddhartha a position of high rank, recognizing his potential. Siddhartha explained his renunciation, citing the rampant irreligion, violence in yagnas, the moral decay of Brahmins and Kshatriyas, the oppression of Shudras, and the denial of religious rights to women. He condemned the exploitation of the poor by kings and priests and the pursuit of pleasure at the expense of others. His aim, he stated, was to find a solution to the suffering he witnessed. Bimbisara, impressed by Siddhartha's resolve, expressed his willingness to support any path he found to alleviate suffering.

Siddhartha then sought guidance from renowned yogis like Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputra. However, he found their practices insufficient, as they were detached from societal suffering and the widespread injustice of the time. He believed true spiritual attainment required not just mental stillness but also the ability to actively resist injustice and uproot irreligion without losing one's inner balance. Dissatisfied, he decided to pursue his own path.

He settled in Uruvela (modern Bodh Gaya), near the Niranjana River, and vowed to continue his austerest penance until his goal was achieved, even at the cost of his physical body. For six years, he practiced severe austerity, a description of which is given in the "Simhanada Sutta" of the Majjhima Nikaya, detailing his emaciated state. After this arduous penance, he realized he had not found the solution. He began to reconsider the extreme self-mortification, gradually reintroducing a moderate diet and engaging in meditation.

During his meditation, he still faced internal struggles with desires and emotions. However, he remained steadfast, transforming these latent desires into resolutions for the welfare of humanity and the well-being of society. It was then, with a sudden flash of insight, that he understood the root of suffering: craving (trishna). He realized that unfulfilled craving leads to all forms of suffering, and that it also makes suffering appear as pleasure. This craving, he observed, fueled social injustice (Matsyanyaya) and narrow-mindedness, leading to the creation of artificial divisions and the perversion of dharma. He saw how the desire for heavenly rewards led to violence, how the concept of "heaven for the fallen in battle" justified wars, and how rituals and superstitions were born from craving. He realized that priests and rulers exploited the ignorance of the people by promising future rewards for present sacrifices and by defending the actions of rulers.

Siddhartha, now transformed, uprooted craving and replaced it with universal love, compassion, and empathy. He attained Bodhi (enlightenment) on Vaisakhi Purnima under a peepal tree. The text notes that people now worship this peepal tree.

The author emphasizes that Vaisakhi Purnima is a sacred day because it marks Buddha's enlightenment. Buddha's efforts to spread the light of his realization made him the "Lokdipak" (world-illuminator). His teachings, which focus on the direct experience of suffering, its causes, its cessation, and the path to cessation, are presented as a practical and accessible approach.

The text contrasts Buddha's approach with other philosophical schools of his time. While some focused on abstract concepts like the soul and its realization, or attributed all events to a divine creator, their teachings often failed to address societal suffering or led to fruitless debates. Buddha, on the other hand, centered his teachings on the tangible reality of suffering and its remedies, rejecting the notion of divine authority or the infallibility of scriptures and teachers. He asserted that his teachings should be tested by one's own reason and experience.

Buddha declared himself to be an ordinary human being who, witnessing suffering and irreligion, was inspired to seek a path to alleviate it through rigorous practice. He encouraged his followers to trust their own intellect and to accept his teachings only if they found them conducive to the removal of suffering.

He challenged the prevailing caste system, advocating for a society based on qualities rather than birth. He liberated the populace from the hold of religious dogma and the manipulation of priests and gurus, empowering them to think independently. His core message was to focus on alleviating present suffering rather than chasing abstract heavenly pleasures or pursuing the unattainable. He taught that suffering originates within the mind and can be overcome by purifying one's thoughts and cultivating love and equality among all beings. His teachings were delivered in the common language of the people (Magadhi/Pali), making them accessible to all. His teachings are preserved in numerous texts like the Majjhima Nikaya, Digha Nikaya, Anguttara Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya, and Dhammapada.

The essence of his teachings is encapsulated in the verse: "To cease from all evil, to cultivate good, and to purify one's own mind – this is the teaching of all the Buddhas." The text concludes by reiterating the sanctity of Vaisakhi Purnima as the day of Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana, encouraging readers to honor this great sage.