STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: “Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it”. With these immortal words from Gautama Buddha commenced the Special assembly on Buddha Purnima by Nupur Choudhary from Grade XI Commerce.
Amazingly, this year, means, 2023 marks Lord Buddha’s 2585th Birth Anniversary. This is the day when Lord Buddha was born to see the people and disseminate the message of equality, unity and cosmic love everywhere. What does Lord Buddha’s philosophy teach us was highlighted by Jaijeet Singh. He said, “We are shaped by our thoughts. We become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves”.
To enlighten the audience with the life voyage of Gautama Buddha, Adit Sharma said, “Siddhartha Gautama’s tale to achieving Nirvana is astounding in itself. Born in a family of Kings, the young boy was predicted to be a sage, renouncing all his worldly possessions. He was kept isolated from the outside world. One day, he toured the city and saw a sick main, a weak, old man and a dead body being carried to the cremation ground and at last he saw a sage, serene and calm, totally isolated from all worldly desires. Siddhartha was deeply troubled by the experiences of the outside world, questions of life and death plagued him constantly. To find the answers to his questions, he left the palace and wondered around arriving in the city of Bodh Gaya. There he started to meditate under the fig tree bear the Mahabodhi Temple, determined not to rise until fully enlightened.
“After 49 days of meditation, he attained enlightenment. Gautama from thereon was known as Buddha or Awakened one. He was named after the Bodhi tree under which he meditated. It is said that the tree has been destroyed time and again by man and nature, but it continues to spring up again without fail. The tree is worshipped as a sign of Buddha’s presence”, added Jaijeet Singh.
“Buddha preached non-violence, peace and harmony. He believed that people should treat each other with compassion, forgiveness and tolerance. He encouraged his followers to lead a balanced life, one that was neither severe nor luxurious”, concluded Adit Sharma.
Pranav recited a poem with deep rooted meaning on this auspicious occasion. Buddha Purnima is a great day to understand the life journey of a young boy who had all the luxurious of life and yet chose to seek enlightenment and help the world.
Principal JKPS Kunjwani Rajesh Rathore applauded students of Grade XI Commerce for presenting such an enlightening assembly. Besides highlighting the teachings of Gautam Buddha, he also paid rich tribute to Ashoka, the Great, who contributed phenomenally in spreading the teachings of Buddhism to far-off places. He spoke at length on the gospels of Buddhism, which transformed the most barbaric man of India, Ashoka the Great, into a spiritual person, which the posterity shall remember for millennia ahead.
With tonsured head, clad in ordinary saffron robe, the Monk-cum-Monarch Ashoka the Great dedicated himself completely to the service of mankind. “Work I must for the public benefit” was found manifested in every deed of the erstwhile Monarch. He appealed students to study the eight principles of Buddhist philosophy and imbibe the time-tested ideals into their lives. He invoked them “to stay calm and composed in every situation. Conquer thyself to emerge a Victor”, he summed up.