The great Sacrifice

There is this beautiful story about Mangala Samma Sambuddha in Gauthama Buddha’s teaching.  In a previous life as a Bodhisattva where he dedicated his life to become a Samma Sambuddha, one day he visited a Stupa built for a Samma Sambuddha whom already passed away! Then he thought... "I should sacrifice my life for the name of Samma Sambuddhas..." and wrapped his whole body in the manner of lighting a huge lamp, and then kept a golden lamp filled with thousands wicks as another huge lamp... lit those thousands of wicks, placed it on his head, lit his whole body also.  He kept lighting the lamp for the whole night, by remembering the noble qualities of Samma Sambuddhas.  He kept going rounds & rounds around the stupa by chanting about the blessed ones!  He simple sacrificed his life for the name of noble triple gem!  It says, by the power of noble triple gem, not even a hair of him got warm. He was protected by the name of noble triple gem!

That's the power of noble triple gem! Coz the noble triple is the only worth enough to sacrifice our life to! None failed by sacrificing their lives to the noble triple gem and none today fails… none will be... coz they are the only one who liberated from this vicious life cycle!  Noble triple gem means the gem of Samma Sambuddhas. Who knows everything related to the all type of existence.  They are the one who realized the roots.  The depth of the roots.  How deep is the rabbit hole.  They are the one who showed us the gem of TRUTH.  How to access the truth… how to realize the truth… that’s why we call it the gem of Dhamma or THE TEACHING!  Those who realized… those who liberated by knowing the truth of roots… those who cease the origin are the third gem.  That’s why they are the only worthy of sacrificing this life for. 

Those who are unaware about the origin… the root… the truth… they believe something else as the truth.  Those who are unaware are the one who depended over everything.  They depend on the eyes & forms, ears & sounds, nose & smell, tongue & tastes, body & touches, mind & feelings.  So, what happen?  when we depend on something it's obvious, we get hurt... whether it is so-called happiness or so-called sorrow every emotion depends on something.  So, it's obvious we lose interest of our lives.  Many suicides because they won't get things according to the way they desire.  Because they couldn't control things which they were so depended on!

As long as you are so blinded by this dependency, as long as you are comfortable with this dependency you don't seek for liberation... you don't need any truth other than the truth which YOUR depended" agitated mind believe as the eternal truth!  As long as you are depended on what you believe as the truth you don't want to be aware or hear to anyone whom willing to show the you the path for the eternal truth!  You simple don't care about the noble triple gem. 

As you know gems are not easily recognizable.  especially when you are not interested on the subject of gem, it's just a worthless pebble for you.  When someone say this is a valuable pebble because it is a gem.  we just have to cut & polish to bring its real value, you will laugh at them.  you may be call them as "Fools who believe and find a fortune in a worthless pebble"!

Likewise, when you hear about the people who sacrifice their lives to the noble triple gem you may feel it as foolish idea.  All of these activities are as a big joke!

When you see someone meditate near a Pagoda in heavy rain... when you see someone standing near a stupa no matter how hot or cold the day is... when you see someone sitting with crossed legs in a heavily snowy mountain... when you see someone refused few meals just because they are more concern about liberation than food... when you see someone refuse to take medicine and decided to mediate on their sickness for their liberation... when you see someone giving up their properties or valuables by the name of triple gem... when you see someone worshiping & offering the noble ones...

Look within and see how you actually feel?  Do you feel like criticizing?  Do you feel "How foolish they are"... Do you feel like preaching them what real Buddhist teaching is and how Lord Buddha refused the extreme paths and how to entertain life while searching for the truth etc.? Do you feel like you know better than them?  Or do you even feel like minding your business? 

Most of the time this "unaware worldlings' mindset" is common among the Buddhist practitioners too!  So, they do criticize everything related to this dedication.  They try to guide them to the correct path by believing they in the correct path.  So sometimes they become such an obstacle to the genuine practitioners.    Actually, minding your own business kind of mindset is little better than, involving and being an obstacle for those who sacrifice their lives in their search of truth!

So, whether you feel like you know everything while you are so depending on everything... or whether you feel like minding your own business in such situations... Just try to be open! 

Ask them or search their actual intentions.  Ask them, "why you sacrifice your valuable life over something call triple gem when you can have entertainment through many things...?"  Ask them, among the majority of people who take small inspirations and kill themselves when they don't get what they desire, why you sacrifice yours for something named truth or liberation?!  Ask them and become aware of what you are unaware... Ask them and walks away from being just an unaware worldling! 

My dear dhamma friends, there are these rare characters who sacrifice their lives for the purpose of being free from this samsara cycle and make us free too!!!  There are these rare characters who sacrifice their lives for the purpose of finding eternal truth!  There are they rare characters who sacrifice their lives for the true liberation because they do care about all beings! These are the one we call Bodhisattvas... The one who develop and perfect their skills to realize the roots of origin and be free from trap! 

So be aware before you become an obstacle for such noble ones!  Instead enter to the rare kinds!  May your life also become such a rare life!!!   May you be able to understand the real value of noble triple gems!!!