THE BUDDHA BY SHRIDHAR TILVE

1
He was not Buddha but he was trying for nibban. Consistently. Persistently . Last 10 years he had explode all paths. Shaivism, Buddhism, Jainism, Goshalism and Vaishnavism every sect turned futile. He was climbing on Sahyadri to abandon his body, accepting the fact that he has no chance to attain the Nirvana or moksha. He is giving up all situation is spreading silence in his body. Death was excepted and he was going for death. He looked at son and suddenly his  body got exploded. It was like big bang. He was climbing and it was happening. He was no more he. He was just climbing. When he reach at the peak of Sahyadri. It was done. He was enlightened.

2
The yug was passed. He was lying timelessly. He realize that he has reached, he laughed. He did lot of things and never attained it and now without any effort he was there. Effortlessness ! The sun is sun, the sky is sky, the earth is earth, the body is body. Everything was shining around him.

3
There was no thought. There was no mind. He was coming down like spontaneous flow.

4
When he reached at bottom of Sahyadri he stopped like cloud. Suddenly he realized that four human being are waiting for him. They smiled one  of them came near to him.
“So, you reached. Good! ”
He realized that all fours are enlightened he laughed
Now they were five
“Will you please come with us?”
He just looked at them and started walking.
“Climbing enlightenment ! Good ! It is always new things. Oldest yet new”
He laughed but never reacted.

5
Sahyadri was a strange mountain. It was the ancient and full of greenery. Himalaya was white and it’s grandeur strikes you with its height. But Sahyadri with its rocking assaulteness  compel you to think about nature rationally. That is why maharashtrians are always rational. For them height means irrational.
When five enlighten persons reached at a cave sixth one came and welcomed them. He looks at sixth person and realized that sixth one is also enlightened. They entered into the cave and reached at centre point of  cave. Seventh one was standing  there. Suddenly everything stilled.
“So you are reached ! I am not here to preach you. Just follow your own enlightenment you can go into society or live alone.  You can go and create new Dhamma or Religion now it is up to you. But let me tell you one thing. Nothing matters. Nothing will change. Your enlightenment makes no difference to society every human being is full of Trushnas, Desire, ambition and lust and he will remain same forever. Every  child is the new form of Trushnas. Every child is the new form of Desires. How many of them will get enlightenment? 100? 1000? It ends here”
He looked at six enlightenment persons. The infinity stood still for a moment.
“But I want to talk” He said. Nobody reacted.The Buddha

Scene 10

Though   Buddha was not feeling guilty. His disciples were taking lunch with little bit guilt. Two farmers had committed suicide because of unbearable starvation and here they were taking lunch free of cost. Farmers were not happy while serving the lunch. One of them named Namdeo asked single question to Sarpanch, ‘Will Buddha solve the question of famine? Can he end starvation? Can Buddha end starvation?’

Sarpanch replied, “Atithi deo bhav”
Namdeo retaliated, “Guest are guest and gods are gods ! In our tradition gods always behave like guest. They don’t host this country. Buddhas are same. They come as guest,  preach, leave and one day they die as ghost. We farmers are serving them in return of preaching. Everybody gives us preaching as if moral responsibility of world is on our shoulders. Hell with Buddhas! I am no more interested in useless spiritual preaching.’’
Namdeo left with cultivated agony. Buddha was looking at his face and his frustration but he knew that he could not bring rain for farmers. Lunch was over and villagers left the place. Buddha asked his followers, “Go for deep sleep. Without deep sleep meditation is impossible” All followers went for deep sleep without any cost.

Scene 11

Buddha woke up at 5 ‘o’clock and reached to the river. The water was flowing but abundance was lost. It was like a stream of water flowing without cost. Buddha jumped into the water and suddenly realize that a woman is also taking bath without cloths. Her nudity was divine nudity. She was enlightened. She looked at him and said, “Your way is only one of many ways. I reached by tantra”

She left. The river conversation ended between two Buddhas.

Scene 12

When Buddha returned she was there as if she was waiting. Buddha did pranam. She returned it with namaskar. She said, “It is good to be compassionate. It creates the new Dhamma, The new way of life but it ends there.  After Dhamma compassion gets lost and passions full of trushnas started to rule followers. You are doing useless job. No doubt it is thankful but in the end it is useless. But what is the use of thankfulness? We both are empty and so called thankfulness is just passionate sound for us. Go your way but don’t get frustrated. In this age Buddha walks alone.
She left.

Scene 13

After Buddha every disciples was Deeping himself/ herself in water. Buddha was witnessing them.

Nagesh said, “You never step twice in the same water”

Shridhar said, “Step is also new each time”

Buddha said, “Earth is limited and the sea is limited. Only flow is new. Otherwise it is THE same water. So don’t think about step and water. Truth is stepless and riverless”

Scene 14

The famine has destroyed all jungle everywhere. The romantic idea about forest was no more entertaining. When Buddha reached the Balli forest almost all animals were run away. Surprisingly when Buddha reached at the center of the forest tiger welcomes them. A disciple asked, “Is this tiger real or is it illusion” Second disciple said, “Now it is interesting to see what Buddha does to tiger”
Disciple first said, “No it is vice versa now it is interesting to see what tiger does to Buddha”
Buddha stood still in front of tiger . They looked at each other. Probably tiger realized that he is in front of the Buddha an enlightened person. Buddha started walking. No follower had daring to follow him. Buddha realized nobody had followed him. He looked back in compassion. Suddenly tiger changed his mood and jumped towards the body of disciple number one. All other disciple ran away. Tiger killed disciple and started eating.
Buddha stood still. He realized that he can’t do anything about it right now. The flesh of disciple number one was gone. The hunger of tiger was gone. Buddha started walking alone. After some time his followers came forward and joined him .nobody was talking.

Scene 15

When Buddha reached another village he was welcomed by villagers. But surprisingly villagers were not entertaining  his disciples. Buddha said nothing. Disciple number three asked, “Why He is so mum?”

“Probably our fear of tiger made him silent. It is really shameful that we fear”. Forth disciple replied

He came forward and asked Buddha, “Bhagwan we all are sorry for the fear”
Buddha said, “Fear is not the root cause. Trushnas are the root cause.  Annihilate that root cause. Enlightenment means death. You must prepare yourself to die. You can’t die for enlightenment with trushna of living.  Kill the trushna of living fear will automatically walk out’’

Scene 16

Buddha left the village for another village. While walking suddenly a peacock appears. When Buddha is stood in front of peacock it started dancing. It was strange situation. Buddha said, “Tiger and peacock are two sides of life. Life is the dual dance of tiger and peacock’’

Suddenly Buddha started dancing.

Scene 17

The dance of Buddha was never imagined by his disciples. Disciple number six said, “This Buddha is not Buddha. Buddha can’t dance. I have decided to follow Gautama Buddha the ancient Buddha” He left the new Buddha for ancient Buddha. He left the dancing. Some followers followed him. Some started dancing with Buddha. Only confused one still stood. He neither left nor dance. He exclaimed, “Tiger, peacock and now this dance. What is happening man?’’

Scene 18

It was not an easy task to walk alone. Spirituality is always about alones. It is the jump from loneliness to alones. Buddha was walking alone with his followers. His disciples were confused about him. “Why we are following him?”

“Because he is enlightened”

“Sure?”

“100 percent sure! The enlightenment is in his eyes. I feel it”

“We don’t know enlightenment and yet we think that we have recognized it in his eyes. Don’t you think it is blind faith and if it is blind faith what is the difference between us and common people? Why we believe holly books. Are we blind like our ancestor?”

“I think we are lucky. We are with an enlighten person The Buddha. How many people get direct access to Buddha? I think it is the most fortunate think to be happening. Friends, we are with Buddha. We are with future history. People will recognize us as disciples of Buddha. We are at the right side of history and believe me it is always good to be at the right side of history”

“I am not here for history. I am here for my enlightenment. History is the illusion. I am not interested in illusion”

“What if we are at the wrong side of history? What if he is not enlightened? Have you seen his reaction to his dead disciple? He did nothing to save his disciple. Tiger came and eat. Life is full of tiger not peacock. Time is the biggest tiger. History is the greatest illusion of time. I assure you tiger of time will eat us including our master the Buddha.

The discussion was going and suddenly they realized that they have reached to another village. The Sarpanch welcome them with lotus. Buddha laugh.

He said, “Thanks Sarpanch”

“Where is Shiva” Sarpanch asked.

“He was taken by tiger” Buddha said. Sarpanch collapse Shiva was his son. He was the continuity. The continuity is brooked up.

“Don’t cry Sarpanch”

Sarpanch became angry and asked, “You are the Buddha how can you allow? Why didn’t you stop tiger? No you’re not Buddha you don’t have power of Buddha”

“Sarpanch, I will revive your son just go and bring some rice from the home where nobody dead with that rice I will revive with you r son.”

Sarpanch left the meeting with hope in his eyes now people were waiting for the miracle. 

Scene 19

Sarpanch knock each and every door of village. He begs for rice. He found in each and every home. Rather the village is famous for rice. But in each home somebody was dead. He return to Buddha and narrated his experience.

Buddha said, “Rice is the continuity of life o Sarpanch, land is fixed but crops are coming and going. Every season new crop appears and every death visits it. This is the cycle of life and death. So don’t cry o Sarpanch. Nothing is permanent here neither you nor me. We are bound to die. Only enlightenment brings eternity. It doesn’t mean you will never die after enlightenment. Enlightenment can’t prevent death of Body. But enlightenment emancipates you from sorrow of death. Follow me I will give you enlightenment. Sarpanch followed him.

Scene 20

As par tradition the corpse first disciple was gathered by villagers from the jungle were tiger left remains of his body. Sarpanch burn the fire but he could not burn the debate after death. His family was compelling him to perform Shradh with all Saunskar and ritual. But he was not lessening and consistently ignoring their taunts. He asked Buddha, “What should I do?”

Buddha said, “Death is death. You can play with corps but remember corps is corps dead is dead. You can’t do anything about them. As all rituals is bullshit and invented by Brahmins to fill their stomach and run their business. Rituals only decorate death and if you want this decoration go for it. It is your choice. There are four options first one is ritualistic choice in this choice you followed blindly without any understanding of Rituals. Second option is religious choice here you know the traditional interpretation of ritual. You accept tradition for _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Third option is Spiritual choice in this option you either reinterpret the rituals or abandon it. And fourth option is not at all option because choice doesn’t function here. It is pure choicelessness O Sarpanch, enlightenment means choicelessness now you have to choose your option.

Sarpanch chose to perform rituals. Buddha exclaimed, “Following is not enough better if you have understand”

Scene 21

Death is always complicated because we inter mix the issue of life with death. We search life after death and that searching creates complication. When rituals completed the followers of Buddha’s reach into next issue the issue was shradha’s lunch. The lunch of ‘Terahvi’ as dead person was disciple of Buddha all disciples were observing rituals after death.

“Should we eat food after death” they asked Buddha.

Buddha laugh, “The question should be asked yesterday. Now the food is prepare for us and we should not waist food for any reason so go and do lunch. Food is food it is either healthy or unhealthy”

Buddha followers did the lunch and left the village after lunch.

Scene 22

While traveling everybody was confuse.

“How can Buddha ask to eat the food of Shradha and how can he eat himself that food” a disciple asked another disciple.

“Is he enlightened? Many times he looks like a common person. Yesterday he was clearly angry of Sarpanch. How can Buddha be angry?”

“It was not anger, it was compassion”

They were following him without asking question and he was walking alone. Suddenly a Brahmin appears at gate of new village. He looked at Buddha and stop. He saluted and did namaskar Buddha looked at him and asked, “Where are you going?”

“I am going to meet my wife. I have heard lot about you Buddha”

“Lessoning is not enough many times language is full of rumors rather is itself rumor. The truth is beyond rumor follow me I will show you path of enlightenment”

“O Buddha thanks, I have heard many things about many Buddha. From Siddhartha Gautama to Naga Arjun for me all enlightenments are dreams. I am the Brahmins who knows his own business. I am selling rituals and society is itself biggest rituals. Enlightenment is beyond society and I don’t want to cross society I am happy with my society and society is happy with me. It is mutual understanding. Buddha’s like you are good for us you provide logic for our existence so I respect but I won’t follow you. I am one of those 99% people who need enlightenment as entertainment. Enlightenment is the biggest entertainment of society you are giving new kind of entertainment and I am really thankful to you for giving it. Each new Buddha invents new enlightenment and creates new entertainment from it. We are artist”

“Is it enough o Brahman?”

“I don’t know about others but for me it is enough. For me world flat ritual and I am dancing in it. So thanks” Brahman left and disciple were shock. Buddha started walking alone.

Scene 23

Buddha entered into the new village. Nobody welcome them Buddha went to the river and jump into it. His disciple did the same. When they came out nobody was there. It was happening first time. Some of them hungry and wanted food Buddha notice them he said, “If you are hungry go and beg”

Disciple asked, “Should we restrict to ourselves to five houses”

“No it is not about houses it is about food. Gather food according to your necessity neither more nor less. But remember gather only for today, collect only for today and store only for today. Tomorrow does not exist”

Each disciple went and surprisingly came empty handed. A disciple came forward and said, “This is the strange village o Buddha everybody is beggar here. They said beggars cannot give bhiksha to anybody”

Buddha bound to leave in starvation, “When all are beggars, begging become profession society becomes lazy and corruption becomes cruel form of begging. Exploitation reaches at peak and all Himalayan peaks bath in blood. Don’t enter in this chakravyuh observe fast and leave this place tomorrow”

Scene 24

Everybody was exited as everybody is entering into the village of Buddha. Buddha left his palace when he was 28 years old and now he was entering into the village. Almost all disciples were expecting grand welcome for them but in reality when they entered they saw total devastation of life. Every house is burned and all street were full of human blood. Suddenly a confused swine cross the street. A dead house was surrounded by vultures.

“Is anybody alive” Buddha asked. Nobody replied.

Buddha started cleaning and his disciples followed him.

Scene

When Buddha reached at Angulimal forest disciple started disappearing.

“Why you are leaving?”

“O Buddha this is the forest of Angulimal is death, we don’t want to die, sorry”

“Let me go alone”

“Please don’t go he will kill you. He is like assure death, new version of Yamraj”

“I am life and life will defeat death” Buddha said and left the canon. He entered into the forest of Angulimal. After some miles Angulimal encountered him. He saw the Buddha and realizes that there is no fear in his eyes.

“Don’t you frighten me?” Angulimal asked.

“O Anguimal I know you are the terror. Terror exists because the fear exist once the fear gone terror dies.

“Are you going to fight with me?” Angulimal asked.

“O Angulimal fight is the last weapon of fear, fear fights not compassion. You can kill me I am in your full support. But remember you can kill my body not compassion. Because compassion is forever”

Angulimal came in front of Buddha and raised his swore but could not kill him.

Buddha asked, “What happened Angulimal?”

“I don’t know. I can kill the man who has fear but how can I kill the man who has no fear”

“Abandoned the violence Angulimal, violence is the useless thing”

“No Buddha violence is my weapon. You know people are killing forest and so called non violence is accepted by tribes has become curse of us. Urban society assumes that they can do anything in forest but I am here to protect my tribe and forest. Yea I am killing each and every invader and hanging their heads on these trees. They called me terrorist they call me wild. But we are the most civilized person on this earth. Your religion is good for urban people they will use it to de weaponise us. Non violence is the political tact of empires to deweaponise common people. So that they won’t race fight against employer. Non violence means weaponization of ruling people. Forgive me o Buddha right now I can’t accept your non violence. You go to your urban people and asked them to stop killing forest. If they stop I will also stop”

Buddha looks in his eyes and realizes that he is not going to listen his preaching. He started walking alone.