Suresh, Nice story, but I think it's not just Indian people that show no 'social responsibility'. I'm sure everyone of us on this Forum see acts like this every day in every part of the world.
>From a zen perspective I would say this is just a lack of compassion. These >people are two attached to their delusion of self and only concerned about >what is 'best' or 'easiest' for them (their self) that they don't consider >what the consequences of their actions are for others. Cultivation of Buddha Nature allows you to recognize delusions such as that of having a separate and distinct 'self' which in turn helps you to dissolve attachments. When this process has started, and well before it has been completely accomplished, compassion is a by-product. Compassion is not something you consciously do, it's just an expression of who you are. Of course there are many compassionate people who do not practice zen. They do think of others before or at least as well as they think of themselves. Culture has a lot to do with this. From what I've seen of the Indian culture it is very competitive and vying for limited resources against others is just an ingrained way of life. I think you were right to point this out to these other people but might consider judging them less harshly. Just the fact you pointed it out to them will probably cause them to re-think what they're doing a little - even if they won't admit that to you. I don't know that much about Autism so I looked it up on Wikipedia.com. Here's what I found: "Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication, and by restricted, repetitive or stereotyped behavior." There was of course a much more detailed explanation than this but I was just looking for something that I thought I might be able to relate back to zen practice. Nothing jumped out at me other than how zen practice might help someone interact with Autistic children - and that's just to accept them for who they are and not who you would like them to be. But I'm sure you already do that. ...Bill! --- In [email protected], SURESH JAGADEESAN <varamtha@...> wrote: > > Dear Sir, > > Yesterday evening I went to Semmozhi Poonga at around 5.PM in my bike > with my two children, there not much two wheelers where there I parked > at the very beginning of parking so that I can easily take out and > leave. > > Then I went inside the park. My children played, there after for my > younger son I bought one ice cream and for elder son Pao bhaji. > > This younger son after eating Ice cream, he took both spoon and empty > box ran from the restaurant and dropped in the litter box well away > from the restaurant, which even not appeared to be a litter box, > almost closed and different shaped box. I have found many empty ice > cream boxes and other litters, were just thrown as it is either on the > table or where ever one can see. > > I clapped for this action of my son, and he enjoyed and smiled for my > clap. There after we spent some more time at Park and when I came to > park, I saw there are three rows of two wheelers with no gap. Mine was > first row, I had to move at least 6 or more two wheelers to take out > my bike. > > Mean time where I made space, people in two wheeler came and try to > park there. I got very angry. And asked them," don't you see how this > first row fellow will take out their two wheelers?" why there is no > thinking? Why there is no social responsibility? > > For that one family with two children on bike, both came to argue with > me, "why haven't you asked so many who were already parked like this?" > I said, ok, they have made mistake, but why can't you behave sensibly? > For that they got angry, they said both husband and wife," then you > sit down in a chair and regulate" > > The security there was very old man; he was looking at me so helplessly. > > Mean time three more two wheelers came to park where I made space for > each one I had to say, "go to last and park, why are you parking like > this, can't see how the first row fellow will take out? > > Then they said, "you should not tell this?" Then I said, we Indians > why have no social responsibility? Why can't we ourselves behave well > instead of someone to correct us? > > By this time, I could remove my vehicle and started the bike. Behind > me one fellow was saying, "India will be like this, if you don't like, > then leave India" was his answer. > > None like to be pointed out of their mistake. Everyone wants > shortcuts. No thinking of future moments. > > While I just started moving in bike, I felt severe back pain right at > the mooladhara. > > Then I had pay full attention on that point and take deep breath, > somehow I have overcome that pain. > > When that pain was over, then I realized that it because of my anger > and emotion, which had travelled from brain to mooladhara and > affected. Then I realized this is the way pregnant women when they are > emotional and anger that converts into bodily pain (vibrations) and > thereby it affects the fetus in womb. > > I don't know why doctors in this forum keeping quiet to discuss these > issues like how emotions affect general health of the body? > > When I reached Express Avenue, just at the entrance, my elder son who > was having a bag with two bottles of water in it, he rushed to the > girl who was standing with metal detector. > > She was actually looking somewhere, and my son called her > `Akka(sister) do this'. She was so smiling and touched the bag with > metal detector and when it gave beep sound, he was happy and came. She > looked at me and smiling. > > I was wondering these Autism children have more social responsibility > then these so called normal people, leave alone normal children. I am > happy to have such beautiful children. It is not curse, but blessings > of god to have such children. > > On Saturday in Adithya channel, I have again watched `Guna', > kamalhasan movie, which I watched in theatre when I was studying in > college. I went to Theatre Rajeswari, Ranipet, on the third day of the > movie. There was only four including me watching that movie. > > Now when I watched this movie, I realized Kamal had portrayed an > Autism character. There the heroine states "You are not mad, but me > and all other people of this society are mad". Kamal says "that is > what even told by Doctor, but no one believes." > > When I see the common Indian have no social responsibility, whereas my > children have, I feel very much proud. No one needs to feel pity on > me. I am proud of having such children. > > Best wishes > Suresh > > > -- > Thanks and best regards > J.Suresh > New No.3, Old No.7, > Chamiers road - 1st Lane, > Alwarpet, > Chennai - 600018 > Ph: 044 42030947 > Mobile: 91 9884071738 > ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
