Introduction - For You and Me

"Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it." 

- Gautama Buddha

    Spirituality is an important part of many people's lives, yet we do not understand it completely. It guides our ethical way of life and gives us profound hope to do good and help others. However, I experienced doubt recently, but I welcomed it as I find feeling doubtful healthy. I believe spirituality is not just our belief in God, it is also the search for the reason of existence and purpose. The questions are healthy and I gladly took up the challenge to understand my path. God exists in all of us, as a sort of moral compass if you will. That tiny voice in your head, giving gentle advice to do good today, is as I believe, God. This recent awareness that I acquired is my personal sign from Him to learn and, if I am lucky, to teach. New answers to unanswered questions and even more questions await me, which I am willing to share as I go. 

    The quote given above is applicable to many parts of our lives. We strive to discover the "truth" about our world/reality every day. It may be an internal or an external discovery. However many of us follow the beliefs of institutions, religions, society, or even other people blindly without seeking to find "our truth".  Let us look to the sermon given by Buddha in the village of Kesaputta called the Kalama Sutra on the influence of other's beliefs on our mental peace. 

    The Buddha was passing through the village of Kesaputta, who was then greeted by the inhabitants of the village, the clan called the Kalamas. They reported the many other preachers or holy men who had also passed through their village presenting teachings and criticizing the teachings of others. The confused villagers came to the Buddha for assistance and asked whose teachings they should follow and implement in their lives. The Buddha replied to not take the teachings at face value and the importance of a free will. Do not believe the religious teachings, Buddha tells the clan, just because they claimed to be true. He proposed the constant questioning and testing of teachings in one's life to truly understand and benefit from them. In the record of his sermon, Buddha states," Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them.". In simpler terms, he advises that when one is aware that the beliefs being taught are bad, responsible for wrong, disapproved by wise/knowledgeable peers, and when undertaken lead to harm, it is best to abandon them and seek other truths. 

Kalama Sutra 

    It is safe to assume that we always possess understanding deep down in our hearts that what we are being taught and led to believe is wrong. To break free, we must take the first step, which is asking questions. 

Laasya