Being Radical!

February 2020 edition

Being Radical!

Article summary

It’s kind of having a trend of being a radical mindset lately. Those who believe that they are being radical over certain topics they seem criticize every possible general act of human kind. The traditions, cultural activities, religion etc… and now this has affected to the Buddhism and many criticize Buddhist behaviors by being so call radical. So, I thought dedicating this editorial to those who mislead by being radical to understand what is actually being radical!

If something is considered extremist or very different from anything that has come before it, call it radical. The noun, radical, comes from the Latin radix "root," and in fact, radical and root are synonymous as technical terms in fields such as math and linguistics. In more everyday language, a radical is someone who has very extreme views, so you could say that their views are different from the root up. Similarly, a radical flaw or change is a fundamental one whereas a radical design or idea is very new and innovative.

When it comes to being radical and the interpretation which matches to radical, I feel like that these days people are hardly radical.  I feel like even the most radical people are most conservative when it comes to the way they believe & think of everything.  So, let’s try to dig the fact of being RADICAL.

Commonly human beings are in a belief of what they see, hear, contact & feel.  They simply can’t understand beyond the 5 senses.  So, anything we argue or trying to being radical over this base doesn’t mean actually being radical isn’t it?  That’s just another extreme view just like others have as the opposite. 

But if one actually can realize the roots & reality of these senses and how it creates the world we believe and why we behave in certain manner over these situations then that one is really radical being by bringing up a real innovative idea over a conservative idea. 

Being radical doesn’t mean judging others as fools & conservative.  Being radical means knowing how the mind works & how mind can be judgmental and react so traditionally… by realizing this one can be radical over the mind & its reaction…

I believe;

Samma Sambuddha is a real Radical being.  Because the blessed one fight with the conservative mind set of own self & guide others to realize how we are so conservative by depending on the senses.

In common, so call radical ones are being just judgmental over the reactions of 5 senses by misunderstanding it as being radical.  They can’t think beyond the 5 senses.  Just stuck with the data bundle and mislead by them. 

But Samma Sambuddha & other Buddhas… the awaken ones are aware of real roots.  They are aware of how one can be so conservative.  Their realization is beyond 5 senses and it is what we can call truly innovative.  They simply awake from the conservative thoughts and they are the one who are really radical. 

Even the Jesus was radical and pointed out how one can be so conservative and act upon what they believe as real. 

So, my dear dhamma friend… if you also believe that you are a radical being.  Try to dig in to your self and see whether you are based on the 5 senses or beyond it.  Let’s get real radical by being awaken!!! Have a blessed time dear all!!!

Rajitha Viduransi | Kelaniya, Sri Lanka