Enlightenment.

Our young blogger friend Ashok, in his last LBC post has this to say:
“True power lies in fighting our subservience to ourselves. The process requires deep thinking and identifying who we are and what we stand for. Perhaps with more introspection, we might see a better class of leaders tomorrow.”

I am intrigued. At such a young age, Ashok has already started being an anthroposophist.

While I was mulling over his approach, I received the picture, with which I have started this post from another young friend Ashwani, who too is struggling towards enlightenment. IT APTLY POINTS OUT THAT THE PROBLEM IS “DESIRE”, even if it is for enlightenment! (Please click on the image to make it larger if needed.)

Recently, Cheerful Monk from Happiness As A Spiritual Practice has been on an extended discussion with me on my post The Most Dangerous Stage Is Respect.

Then, Conrad, another LBC blogger friend had this to say in the same post on Respect: “there is an inner calling to pursue certain esoteric things that does not seem to affect most peopleā€

As you know, Ramana, we both feel that inner calling and those unaffected can be put off. It does not salve our inner itch, though, to try to turn away from it. Cest la vie!”

It certainly looks to me as if synchronicity is working over time again.

Conrad, Cest la vie! indeed!

The Laughing Buddha Etc,.

When I had written about my favourite chair, there were many requests for a full photograph of the painting behind the chair, an Ajanta copy on egg tempera painted by Urmeela. It is a scene of Buddha as a child with his mother, a very popular scene copied by many artists here.

The painted copy is reproduced here:
ajanta-copy

There is another heavy weight mascot that has traveled with us all over the subcontinent since 1975. Urmeela brought it into our home in Kerala where we were posted at that time. That is, this statuette:
asura

He is supposed to be Kubera, the Lord of wealth.

Conrad had mentioned that he has got a mascot too in the form of a laughing Buddha. So do we. He was brought in by our then daughter in law Leena in 2001. He continues to laugh and here he is:
laughbuddha

So, we have here,

1. Buddha depicted here as the child symbolizing his enlightenment. En Lightenment meaning in this context, dropping off all superimposed values, ideas, knowledge etc and reverting to the state of mind that is pure. For Ranjan and me, this is Urmeela’s gift to remind us to be like that.
2. Lord Kubera, who blesses us with wealth and all good things in life. In this context, he also is responsible for health, progeny etc which are all considered to be wealth in our system, and
3. Laughing Buddha, symbolizing laughter, joy and happiness.

Yes, we are blessed.