12. Tell us about the neighborhood that you grew up in and how it helped shape you into the kind of person you are today. (Yale and the University of Chicago)
In my memory, my day has usually always started early. This being so as I used to accompany my mother as we circumambulated the Boudha Stupa, around 10 minutes away from home. Having a religious monument right next to home allowed me to perceive the different nationalities that came to worship at the Stupa. Going to the stupa at an early age allowed me to get an early start to the Buddhist practices and gave me a better idea of my culture. The Boudha community that I was within was filled with people that respected my maternal grandfather. I heard numerous stories about him and other hard workers, and in the process each story increased my respect for him and those that suffered and finally became what they are today – great business men that gave back to society. In this community I saw the goodness of humans as I saw people give to the poor and needy, clean up the stupa compound, and even feed the pigeons that often fluttered around the area. Those people that helped the community usually were not the wealthy people, but the ones that were from the lower-middleclass. This made me realize how selfish a majority of the people were and I did not want to be like that. I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my mother who I often saw going to orphanages and non-governmental organizations donating clothes and giving out our toys that we no longer needed. Going everywhere with my mother allowed me to see the good, bad, and the ugly of society, and I knew from then that I would rather choose to help the community than to do nothing about it.
It looks like you had an enlightened childhood and it shows how it affected you as an individual. I completely agree that the world is full of selfish people who consider their own interest over that of others. I guess if one person starts being unselfish, others will follow. Example Mahatma Gandhi in India and Martin Luther King Jr.
ReplyDeletePeople should be more like me (joke). Very nice and i completely agree with you. As for examples Harshit, you hit the nail on the head but you forgot to mention the Dalai Lama. If compassion and empathy were a house, the Dalai Lama would be the roof (weird analogy but i can not think of a better one).
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you there. People are too selfish, and I can see where you get your kind, compassionate ways from. You probably thinking I'm acting "cocky" as usual but I mean it. You've been surrounded by people, like your grandfather and your mother, who care about others. I'm sure that you've helped quite a few people out around the Mussoorie and Nepal after watching your family do so as well.
ReplyDeleteI completely disagree that people are too selfish. People such as Tsewang who have seen the bad things are willing to help and make a change. "PEOPLE" such as her mother and grand mother are not selfish. I'm sure there are more people who do help and are not just selfish. This pessimistic view of humanity will get us nowhere.
DeleteI'm pretty sure she just categorized the "people" to the "majority" of the wealthy that don't help, but she just didn't say it in a way that everyone would understand. Like every other situation, there are always a group of pessimists,a group that think they are helping but are actually not, and a group that actually puts an effort to make a change. We shouldn't just point fingers and decide who is which group - we probably know where we WANT to stand and where we ARE actually standing.
Deletewho is *in which group (sorry, forgot the "in")
DeleteOh. So you went to Bouddha Stupa since you were little? That is pretty interesting. Maybe, you should become a social service worker or something, you know. Help the underprivileged people around a little bit.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it Bouddha (with two ds) btw?
I also lived near a temple but I never was as involved with it, or even seen at it as often as you were at the stupa near your house. It's great that you saw that side of people, the lower-middle-classes participating in community service and everything, before you had to experience the rest of the world. Personally, I never thought to turn to my culture, or the religion I was born into, or the sometimes perceived inherent goodness of people for any comfort. I saw the side of Indian culture that yearned for public acknowledgement and recognition of what constitutes a "good Indian" or a "good Hindu" or a "good Parsi." I'm not saying my parents gave me any reason to be pessimistic. But looking around the places I've lived in, I haven't had the opportunity to see many people who do "good" things just for their own joy. I envy you that. :)
ReplyDeletewow... it must have been hard for you... I am sure there was lots of people around your house becuase of the temple. Well when I was a child I didn't have any neighbor other than my family since we built a house and all only our family members lived there. I did talk to the people who lived in out social community since the house is at the center of the community.
ReplyDeleteReading this blog reminded me of my childhood as well. At one point of time I had to go to the stupa in Bouddha every single day and I live an hour (some times it takes longer) away from Bouddha. What I liked about being there is that we along with hundreds of other people just prayed together. It didn't matter who we were or where we come from. I think that's the beauty of all religious places :)
ReplyDeleteIts amazing how you remember your childhood so clearly and it is also impressive that you woke up early in the morning to accompany your mother in the religious practices. I would love know more about your child-like past too :)
ReplyDelete