| Dear friends, I would like to share with you some unique events that have inspired millions of lives. | |
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| | 1. Save or better someone life & Nobility of mind
On this day of Gandhi Jayanthi – 2 OCT 2008, I am reminded of the advice given to Mahatma Gandhiji by his mother. She says,
"Son, in your entire life time, if you can save or better someone's life, your birth as a human being and your life is a success. You have the blessing of the Almighty God". | |
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| | This advice has made a deep impact in the mind of Gandhiji, which made him to work for the humanity throughout his life. Mahatma Gandhi, is a great example for nobility in mind. Gandhiji's grand-daughter Smt. Sumitra Kulkarni narrated this experience on Gandhiji. Each day in his home at Delhi, as you all are aware, Mahatma Gandhiji used to have prayer meeting at a fixed time in the evening. After the prayers there would be a collection of voluntary gift for welfare of the people. The devotees of Gandhiji used to collect whatever given by the people of all sections and this collection would be counted by the supporting staff of Gandhi family. The amount so collected would be informed to Gandhiji before his dinner. The next day, a bank man would come for taking this money. Once the bank man reported that there was a discrepancy of few paise between the money given to him and the money collected. Mahatma Gandhiji, on hearing this, went on fast telling that this was a donation for the poor and we had to account for every paise. This act of righteousness is the basic foundation for all the activities which we undertake in all walks of life. Mahatma Gandhiji has given dignity to the human life, because the money was offered by an unknown human being for a specific purpose. He respected the human needs of an unknown citizen of this country. This is indeed a message from a noble man for noble living. Where is few paise loss and where is illegal gain of few millions? | |
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| | 2. Remove "I" and "Me"
During the year 2003, when I was visiting Arunachal Pradesh, I visited a Buddhist monastery at Tawang 3500 m. altitude. I was in the Monastery nearly for a day. I observed a unique situation in all the nearby villages, where young and experienced radiating happiness in spite of severe winter environment. Then, I visited the 400 year old Tawang monastery and there I saw monks of all age groups in a state of serenity. I was asking myself what is the unique feature of Tawang and surrounding villages which makes people and monks to be at peace with themselves. When the time came, I asked the Chief Monk, how in Tawang villages and monastery, I am experiencing peace and happiness being radiated by everyone. There was a pause, the chief monk smiled. He said, "You are the President of India. You will know all about us and the whole nation." Again, I said, "it is very important for me, please give me your thoughtful analysis". | |
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| | There was a beautiful golden image of Lord Buddha radiating smile and peace. The Chief Monk assembled nearly 100 young and experienced monks. The Chief Monk and myself were sitting amidst them. The Chief Monk gave a short discourse, which I would like to share with you. Chief Monk said, "In the present world, we have a problem of distrust, unhappiness transforming into violence. This monastery spreads: when you remove "I" and "Me" from your mind, you will eliminate ego; if you get rid of ego, hatred towards fellow human beings will vanish; if the hatred goes out of our mind, the violence in thinking and action will disappear; if violence in our mind is taken away, peace springs in human minds. Then peace and peace and peace alone will blossom in the society". I realized the meaning of beautiful equation for peaceful life, but difficult mission for the individual is how to remove the ethos of "I" and "ME". For this, we need the education inculcated in the young age as propagated by ancient philosophers. | |
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| | 2 (a). Forgiveness
In my search for evolving a peaceful and prosperous society, I got a part answer. My search for real truth continues. I visited an ancient Christian monastery in Bulgaria, where I had a discussion with highly experienced monks on the message of Tawang. The Monk added that forgiveness is also the foundation of good life. | |
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| | 2 (b) Giving a trait of happiness
Similarly, I had a memorable experience in the birth place of Swami Vivekananda, a youth monk of India who could keep the audience spell bound in eastern and western society with his inspirational messages of spirituality and practical life, I explained the Tawang experience to the disciples and they too felt the Tawang experience indeed is beautiful and they added "Trait of Giving " will add to peace and happiness.
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| | 2 (c) Good deed results in good actions
When I visited Ajmeer Sharif where I participated in the Friday Namaz. Here, the Sufi expert told me that Almighty's creation, the man, has been challenged with another powerful creation of Shaitan. Only good deeds lead to good thinking, good thinking results into actions radiating love as commanded by Almighty. | |
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| | The message from all these and other spiritual thinkers is that there are many ideas and spiritual thoughts which transcend religions, geographies and time. If only we could bridge the spirituality among religions and nations, many of the problems like the gaps between haves and have nots, deprivation causing unrest leading to extremism, the remnants of past animosities and war and several other road blocks to peace and prosperity can be tackled. I am sure the AMU students will be able to work on this theme. | |
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| | 3. Together we will Win
Friends, I would like to share with you an inspirational experience, which I came across. At a Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 mtr race. At the starting signal, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, others except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back......every one of them. One girl with Down's syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better" Then all nine linked their arms together and walked together and finally reached the destination. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. I would say that, you do not have to slow down. Rather by helping difficult areas, the feed back will make you go faster. If you pass this on, we may be able to change our hearts as well as someone else's. "A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle".
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| | 4. Dialogue of Cultures
I would like to recall one incident which commonly occurs in many parts of my country. I have witnessed this event when I was a young boy (10 yrs). In our house, periodically I used to see three different unique personalities meet. Pakshi Lakshmana Shastrigal, who was the head priest of the famous Rameshwaram temple and a vedic scholar, Rev Father Bodal, who built the first church in Rameswaram Island and my father who was an Imam in the mosque. All three of them used to sit and discuss the islands problems and find solutions. In addition they built several religious connectivities with compassion. These connectivities quietly spread to others in the island like the fragrance from the flowers. This sight always comes to my mind whenever, I discuss with people on Dialogue of religions. India has had this advantage of integration of minds for thousands of years. Throughout the world, the need to have a frank dialogue among cultures, religions and civilizations has been felt now more than ever. | |
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| Conclusion: | | Now I would like to administer an oath for the youth since the planet Earth is facing many conflicts both natural and man-made. As a youth, all of you have a responsibility to work for universal harmony by ironing out all the causes of conflicts. Are you ready to repeat with me? | |
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| | Oath for the Global Professional:
1 I will have a goal and work hard to achieve that goal. I realize that small aim is a crime.
2 I will always be righteous in the heart which leads to beauty in the character, beauty in the character brings harmony in the home, harmony in the home leads to order in the nation and order in the nation leads to peace in the world.
3 I will work with integrity and succeed with integrity.
4 I will be a good citizen, a good member of my family, a good member of the society, a good member of the nation and hence a good member of the world.
5 I will always try to save or better someone's life. Wherever I am, a thought will always come to my mind. That is "What can I give?"
6 I will always protect and enhance the dignity of every human life.
7 I will always remember that "Let not my winged days, be spent in vain".
8 I will always work for clean planet Earth and clean energy.
9 As a youth of the Globe, I will work and work with courage to achieve success in all my tasks and enjoy the success of others.
10 I will be a rain bearing cloud arising out of Periyar Maniammai University which will give the rain of knowledge to every part of the planet earth.
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