Why would hunger and misery in Africa cause youth in western world to rally support for them? Why would war involving the US would cause hostile demonstrations against their government at home? Because these protesters and demonstrators have become, knowingly or unknowingly, become enlightened to fact that all out destines are linked.
Trade demonstrations against the World Economic Forum by people cutting across nationalities is understandable, as the financial destiny of the world as a whole is linked through interconnectedness.
But isn't financial destiny or interconnectedness just an extension of how our lives and for that matter the entire universe are connected -- think of how the butterfly flapping its wings in Japan will have its effect in the rain forests of Amazon.
No wonder man and for that matter every being of its kind has lived and survived with the awareness of common destinies at the back of their mind -- thus, origin of family, groups, tribes, clans, nations, continents, etc.
In religo-theological context, Judaism seem to be the first to emphasise and demonstrate the profundity of this principle, when the community had to suffer on numerous instances at the wrong doing of one in the community.
The interesting thing is that those nations and kingdoms throughout history who displayed a sense of consciousness of this principle were happy, contented and strong. In modern times, the example of Israel and Japan strikes us as having lived this principle. The reason they have suffered and prospered despite trying times, is because of the deep awareness of this principle even though subconsciously.
To take the case of India, reservation of seats in colleges and government jobs for the Dalits, Tribals and Other Backward Castes has always been a matter of contention among communities.The endeavour of the state to elevate the mass of the population by positive discrimination hasn't gone down well or found ready acceptance with those outside its purview. This underscores that the state, too, on a subliminal level has testified to the adherence of the principle of common destiny -- that the nation cannot progress in clusters and that every being in it shares a common destiny, even if compromises, sacrifices or injustices have to be borne in the course of achieving desired goal of sufficiency and a respectable position in society for all its citizens.
Isn't the world also paying price for the corruption, wars and global warming due the collective destiny born of apathy, fear and disregard for life and environment displayed by people as a whole at any given time on this planet?
Thus, any solution -- financial, societal, regional, climatic etc. -- would not have any enduring effect unless we uphold the dignity of life and environment at the universal level and exhibit it at the individual level. Of course this might seem a bit far-fetched and well into the future; but it needn't have to be that way. Just look at Japan's turnaround time after Second World War or ascendancy of Israel within decades (thus their examples quoted at the outset).
But does this mean that everything hinges on collectivism; and that individual actions are futile? Where do you think the genesis and the continuation of such collectivism take place? In each individual's life.
To borrow the concept of quantum physics, the part is contained in the whole and the whole is contained in the part, and can only be understood in the context of the whole. To borrow from theology : The universe is within us. President of SGI, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, leader of the world's largest lay Buddhist organisation, explains the Buddhist concept of the part containing the whole in the book Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Volume1, the gist of which is as follows : In the movie Jurassic Park, from the single cell the entire dinosaur was created and the dinosaur contains many such cells. So that tiny cell contained all the information of the of the dinosaur, regardless from which body part it was. So also the individual no matter what his station and intelligence, has the capacity, potential and power to alter things the way he desires.
And this can come about only by overcoming ones negative tendencies inherent in life, such as laziness, fear, self-doubt, anxiety, procrastination, ego, prejudice, hatred, apathy, fear, greed, anger foolishness etc.
This seem to be more difficult to overcome than changing the world, that's why we'll find almost every person wanting to change the world with scant realization that the biggest change is waiting to undergo in the depths of his life.No wonder all revolutions sooner than later meet with the same fate whose panacea they purport to espouse at the outset. Because revolutions will endure to the extent people embracing them will, in the depths of their life, keep the flame of sanctity of life and environment forever burning. Any other way will be short-lived. Just see for yourself how many revolutions of the last century has endured to this day and age?
Gandhi's quote : "Be the change you wish to see in the world," seems more apt.
Thus, it's only in the awareness of the collective destiny consciousness coupled with respect for life and environment, which inevitably has its genesis with every individual, would propel this human civilization of the 21st century in a positive direction; 'cause the collective destiny of this planet is inevitably liked with the galaxy and the universe. So negative tendencies arising in our hearts will inevitably find its result with the environment responding in the likewise manner; thus, tsunamis, earthquakes, drought, famine or at the universal level, in the form of tremors, comets, shooting stars.
Thus, there comes a time when all individuality fuses with the humanity to underscore one eternal truth : oneness of life and environment cannot be delinked.
Whether we like it or not we all share a common destiny. Love it or hate it, we're all in it together.
Trade demonstrations against the World Economic Forum by people cutting across nationalities is understandable, as the financial destiny of the world as a whole is linked through interconnectedness.
But isn't financial destiny or interconnectedness just an extension of how our lives and for that matter the entire universe are connected -- think of how the butterfly flapping its wings in Japan will have its effect in the rain forests of Amazon.
No wonder man and for that matter every being of its kind has lived and survived with the awareness of common destinies at the back of their mind -- thus, origin of family, groups, tribes, clans, nations, continents, etc.
In religo-theological context, Judaism seem to be the first to emphasise and demonstrate the profundity of this principle, when the community had to suffer on numerous instances at the wrong doing of one in the community.
The interesting thing is that those nations and kingdoms throughout history who displayed a sense of consciousness of this principle were happy, contented and strong. In modern times, the example of Israel and Japan strikes us as having lived this principle. The reason they have suffered and prospered despite trying times, is because of the deep awareness of this principle even though subconsciously.
To take the case of India, reservation of seats in colleges and government jobs for the Dalits, Tribals and Other Backward Castes has always been a matter of contention among communities.The endeavour of the state to elevate the mass of the population by positive discrimination hasn't gone down well or found ready acceptance with those outside its purview. This underscores that the state, too, on a subliminal level has testified to the adherence of the principle of common destiny -- that the nation cannot progress in clusters and that every being in it shares a common destiny, even if compromises, sacrifices or injustices have to be borne in the course of achieving desired goal of sufficiency and a respectable position in society for all its citizens.
Isn't the world also paying price for the corruption, wars and global warming due the collective destiny born of apathy, fear and disregard for life and environment displayed by people as a whole at any given time on this planet?
Thus, any solution -- financial, societal, regional, climatic etc. -- would not have any enduring effect unless we uphold the dignity of life and environment at the universal level and exhibit it at the individual level. Of course this might seem a bit far-fetched and well into the future; but it needn't have to be that way. Just look at Japan's turnaround time after Second World War or ascendancy of Israel within decades (thus their examples quoted at the outset).
But does this mean that everything hinges on collectivism; and that individual actions are futile? Where do you think the genesis and the continuation of such collectivism take place? In each individual's life.
To borrow the concept of quantum physics, the part is contained in the whole and the whole is contained in the part, and can only be understood in the context of the whole. To borrow from theology : The universe is within us. President of SGI, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, leader of the world's largest lay Buddhist organisation, explains the Buddhist concept of the part containing the whole in the book Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra Volume1, the gist of which is as follows : In the movie Jurassic Park, from the single cell the entire dinosaur was created and the dinosaur contains many such cells. So that tiny cell contained all the information of the of the dinosaur, regardless from which body part it was. So also the individual no matter what his station and intelligence, has the capacity, potential and power to alter things the way he desires.
And this can come about only by overcoming ones negative tendencies inherent in life, such as laziness, fear, self-doubt, anxiety, procrastination, ego, prejudice, hatred, apathy, fear, greed, anger foolishness etc.
This seem to be more difficult to overcome than changing the world, that's why we'll find almost every person wanting to change the world with scant realization that the biggest change is waiting to undergo in the depths of his life.No wonder all revolutions sooner than later meet with the same fate whose panacea they purport to espouse at the outset. Because revolutions will endure to the extent people embracing them will, in the depths of their life, keep the flame of sanctity of life and environment forever burning. Any other way will be short-lived. Just see for yourself how many revolutions of the last century has endured to this day and age?
Gandhi's quote : "Be the change you wish to see in the world," seems more apt.
Thus, it's only in the awareness of the collective destiny consciousness coupled with respect for life and environment, which inevitably has its genesis with every individual, would propel this human civilization of the 21st century in a positive direction; 'cause the collective destiny of this planet is inevitably liked with the galaxy and the universe. So negative tendencies arising in our hearts will inevitably find its result with the environment responding in the likewise manner; thus, tsunamis, earthquakes, drought, famine or at the universal level, in the form of tremors, comets, shooting stars.
Thus, there comes a time when all individuality fuses with the humanity to underscore one eternal truth : oneness of life and environment cannot be delinked.
Whether we like it or not we all share a common destiny. Love it or hate it, we're all in it together.
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