A religion that tells us to focus inside. A religion that asks us to question our beliefs. A religion that asks us to live and validate for ourselves before accepting anything. These reasons were good enough for getting in to it.
It’s also about the mental state one is in to before we experience anything. This point in life seems to be the right one to absorb the philosophy. Having an open mind, having will to question our believes, question one self, ready to test what is taught.
As a beginner in Buddhism, I looked for books focusing the beginners. It all had 4 noble truths and 8 folded paths for cessation of suffering. And there are set of guiding principles like no supreme being nor eternal soul.
Not getting convinced with modern writing or interpretation of the Buddhist scripts, reading through books that is based out of pali scriptures. Earliest of Buddhist script is available in Pali language and Pali is close to Sanskrit. Given its similarity in Tamil, understanding from Pali words are easier than from English. Dhukka makes more sense than ‘Truth of suffering’.
What I write here is how I understand it and the progress is slow as it takes time to absorb and interpret for myself.
Guiding principle before getting to noble truths of life is, Buddhism doesn’t provide answers to inevitable questions coming out of human life. Is there a supreme power, is universe finite or infinite, are mind and soul different or same. These questions are chosen to be not answered as it doesn’t serve any purpose in one’s life. This was told 2500 years backs and that stays relevant today.
There is no answer today, even in modern science. Option that stands before is to go ahead with what can be done by one self or stay with beliefs that are with open questions. The parable quoted in the scripture is, should a wounded person get treated first or should the reason for the wound to be found first.
Liked the urgency to attend it. I feel that, urgency in ourself to understand more will be key to live What Buddha taught!
நான்.. இன்று.. என் பார்வையில்... 