The Beauty of Dharma.

Ananda was a disciple of Buddha. One day, when he was out for collecting alms, as was the tradition of the ancient Buddhist monks, he felt thirsty. He came across a well and found a girl standing nearby. He asked for water and the girl replied that how can she, a girl of peasant and low origin, give water to a holy monk. Ananda replied that he intended water and not the caste origins. The girl was delighted and fetched water for Ananda. She mistook the gesture of Ananda for love. The next day she went to the monastery in search of Ananda and came across Buddha. Buddha at once discerned the contents of her mind and asked her to sit nearby.

Buddha said, ‘You have acquired great merit by fetching water for Ananda. It is not the Ananda that you love but his kindness. It is not the external demeanor that you love but his inner dharma. By practicing this dharma, a man becomes more graceful, outshining the manners of kings and queens, because real beauty consists in dharma.’ Later, on hearing the discourse of Buddha, the girl shed all affections for Ananda and embraced Dharma.

Ananda and the peasant girl

Dharma is a tool, a universal path, based on karma, in relation to the reality of the world, to overcome all painful part in our lives, and ultimately leading to infinite peace (nirvana). By practicing Dharma, man grows in morality, ethics, peace, love and compassion, resulting in a graceful demeanor. All outside beauty pale in comparison with the beauty of inner dharma.

Understanding Dharma:

                The practice begins by staying connected with the present reality, the reality as mentioned in the four noble truths (1. the truth about suffering, 2. the cause of suffering, 3. cessation of suffering and, 4. the path leading to the cessation of suffering).

After comprehending the reality, the next step would be to refrain from karma that creates pain and suffering. This is done by mentally following the train of thought, leading to the series of chain of resulting actions, culminating in suffering, death, and consequential rebirth. By refraining from adverse karma, comes peace. With peace comes joy, a flow of happiness within.

Dharma is not always lingering on the suffering part, but a concrete, pragmatic transition to the practice part which brings peace and happiness.

Dharma and reality:

Dharma is to be aware of the present reality. To live in present reality, one must reject all hypothetical realities that the world offer. For example, television, social networking, and newspapers etc. make a man live in a hypothetical reality that doesn’t exist. It makes a man forget the present reality and ultimately forget himself. A man could have done some useful work instead of dwelling on a non-existent reality.

Hypothetical reality

Dharma and middle path:

Dharma is following the middle path. A man has to think right thoughts, do right actions, speak in a right way, live and work in a right way; only when these conditions are fulfilled, a man will be able to concentrate and meditate in a right way. Dharma is not refraining from work, but doing the right work leading to meditation.

Middle Path

Dharma is doing the right work. Right work refers to the action, 1. Which is free from violence, 2. Which is done with truthfulness 3. Which doesn’t’ covet the property of others, 4. Which retains self-control and 5. Which doesn’t create an attachment for objects.

Work done in this manner leads to meditation and peace.

Dharma and compassion:

                The highest ideal of dharma is not to relieve oneself of pain and suffering but relieve all beings from pain and suffering as well. As a result, man grows more in love and compassion for all beings. He sympathies, understands, helps and loves the suffering ones.

Dharma and India:

                A little practice of Dharma can bring great peace to a man, his neighborhood, his state and ultimately, the nation. Dharma formed the core principles of statehood in ancient India. We find Ashoka the great, propounding the principles in edicts throughout ancient India, laying the foundations for an empire based on peace and Dharma.

Edicts of Ashoka

The Ashoka Chakra still flows in our tri-color flag, which symbolizes peace and Dharma. It is not only etched in our flag, but etched in our minds forever. Therefore practice Dharma.

Thanks You.

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