No 873 of Living Life Series 1
The story of Wesak is the story of the birth of Buddha as man Gautama, his enlightenment under the fig tree and his ascent all on the same day.
It is not about a new religion, about a new culture but about seeing things as they really are. In his last life time as a man and no less a crown prince, he was not satisfied why there is impermanence.
All have to undergo insubstantial nature of life be it on earth or in heavens. All need to be reborn again and again due to their attitude to life of wanting. Wanting results from false views or delusion that they can live forever in whatever life time they are in.
A man never thinks his life will end even though he sees the end in all lives. The same applies to the one in heaven. He is no different in that he too will have an end though his time in heaven is relatively like in eternity due to long lifetime.
But each share the problem of karma. They use up their karmic energy and create new karma that will be depleted. There must be that end-all that is not the end of existence of life. There must be life where there is new creation of karma that will be cruel to the man or being in that there will be the depletion of karma seen as the end of one life and the beginning of yet another. The cycle of rebirths go on and on.
There must be the cessation of rebirths in this manner. There must be the endless and the non-created - life beyond rebirths on Earth, in Heaven or in Hell. This ideal is the end-all of imperfection. This is the end-all of the irony of life manifesting as incessant rebirths.
The call of Wesak is the call to wake-up and to begin the end of delusion that life on earth and in heaven or hell is forever. The upkeep of this delusion is worsen manifold by clinging that yields two other harmful traits of (1) greed or clinging and (2) self-centered nature often manifesting as ill-will.
We must stop cultivating the three mental roots of false views (eternity and no life beyond the present are two of the many false views), attachment and selfishness. We must cultivate the opposite positive roots of correct views, goodwill and non-clinging.
Non clinging has nothing to do with giving up of life. It is simply put about stopping our not being at peace with life - our own life as well as the lives of others. It is about being one and at peace with life and the whole world.
No wonder the Buddha says that long is the night to him who is wakeful and long is the cycle of rebirths to him who knows not and sees not the reason for this seemingly endless rebirths. Those who see the true nature and cultivate the end of the three negative mental roots and the promotion of the three positive roots know that surely they will see the end to their rebirths and be with the enlightened ones.
They will be lightened and be free from the burden of rebirths - be the rebirths be on Earth, Heavens or Hell. This is the end-all story of Wesak waiting to be told again and again on every Wesak. This is the end all that even God Almighty and the godly beings in all heavens, earth and hell aspire for. Yes there are godly beings in hell just as there are godly beings on Earth.
Mind you, it is not about changing religion or culture. It is about being better at what we are and what we want in life through any religion or culture. It is about being better than what we are and this certainly does not need us to jump the band wagon and switch culture or religion. This certainly does not need us to start afresh but to continue from what we are and be better. This too was echoed by Lord Bo Tien 武天菩萨 who wants us to understand the oneness of all cultures and religions.
May all beings be well and happy. May all be good, avoid evil and purify the mind by eradicating the negative mental roots and cultivating the three positive mental roots.
May all beings be well and happy. May all be good, avoid evil and purify the mind by eradicating the negative mental roots and cultivating the three positive mental roots.