More tea with Mara or Shut up?!

I was friended on Facebook recently by an interesting person named Dvorahji Dvorah Adler. She blogs here.

She says: Shut up and be happy! Enlightenment (==happiness?) is already within you, do not chase after it.

With respect to the original post, I want to analyze and respond to all of unawokens comments, but right now I feel empty. I am doing it more as an academic exercise than with real purpose. So, when it comes from within there shall be another post with more questions and perhaps some answers.

Great Masters

I had to share these videos. I am spellbound every time I hear this kind of music. In the first, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi unleashes a drut bandish in Raga Todi at the Sawai Gandharva festival ’63. In the second, the other master from Karnataka, Pt. Mallikarjun Mansur presents a sublime Raga Bihagda.

On tea with Mara

I read this on unawoken’s blog and felt “tempted” to respond with a post.

You can read about Mara here.

For the purpose of discussion, I assume Mara is temptation.

I use the word temptation for it has negative connotations as does Mara. Temptation is associated with sin. Temptation is associated with a weak character, with weakness.

But why?

There is a perfectly good anti-theory to the Buddhist way. Temptation is the means to happiness. Strive to achieve what you want, to get what you lust after and you shall reach Nirvana. Treat your mind and body as your temples. Offer them what they want and they shall give you ample happiness in return. Recognize that we are animals. Bow to the animal instincts and satisfy them.

Why does salvation become tastier when achieved through hardship? Why does Nirvana have to come after remaining celibate and fasting for many years? All organized religions advocate moderation. Clearly there is benefit to society from moderation. It works for the greater good. But the anti-theory wouldn’t care for the greater good.

There is clearly benefit in not stressing over what you can’t get. There is clearly benefit in accepting your limitations and working within them. But what are the benefits of depriving yourself of a tasty morsel when it presents itself? Would you rather be Zorba or Buddha?

WTF quote of the day!

I stumbled upon the India Uncut blog recently and love it! Found this quote over there:

“… the following statement qualifies as a boast, not a confession?

I was the one who had had a leading Bengali daily’s office vandalised because it had defamed Jyoti Basu.

That’s Subhas Chakraborty, a West Bengal minister, speaking to Rediff in the WTF interview of the day.”

Has politics in India come down to this?