Anil Kumar Questions and
Answers
Question 42
Bhagavan
Buddha left his family. But wasn’t it His duty to take care of His
family? Is it justifiable that He left his child and wife like
that? (12.01.2003)
It’s a question of priorities in
life. There are some people who sacrifice everything for political
ends. There are terrorists -- they leave their families to kill
somebody else. It is a question of priorities. (Laughter)
Is it necessary to leave your family to kill somebody? Yes, if it
is a priority. Bin Laden -- what has he done? He left everything
to finish off somebody – his priorities in life.
For Buddha, God was uppermost, and
all the rest were obstacles along His way. Buddha was a realised
soul. Buddha was an Incarnation.
For your information, I will share
with you what Baba has said: “If it is a matter of choice between
father and God, you should choose God and not the father. An
example of this is Prahlada. If it is a matter of choice between a
husband and God, choose God, not the husband – an example is
Meera. If it is a choice between a brother and God, choose God,
not the brother – an example Is Vibhishana.”
If it is a choice between father and
God, choose God, not the father, as was the case with the boy
Prahlada. So, with regard to our relations and God, we should
choose God, and none else.
But, I don’t think we choose God
first, no. In order for us to choose God first, He has to be part
of our family. (Laughter) “God, help my family. God, help
my community.” So, the priority is never God. If anyone prays like
this, it is for the benefit of the family only.
Buddha kept God as His top priority,
so He left His family. I don’t know how many of you know this, but
Buddha, after attaining realisation, enlightenment, went back to
the palace. He returned to His palace.
Suddhodana, His father stood there
and said, “Oh, son! Where were you all this time, all these days?
What happened to you? Come here!”
And Buddha replied, “Father, your
son died long ago.”
“You are here, you are my son! Why
do you say that my son died long ago?”
“No, your son, Siddhartha, died long
ago. In front of you, you don’t see your son. You see Buddha, the
Realised.”
And then He found Yashodara, His
wife. Buddha wanted to avoid her because years earlier he had left
at midnight, without informing her. He hoped to avoid her, but
women are very clever. (Laughter) They never allow
avoidance. It is their nature. So, this man was not successful in
avoiding her either.
She immediately came and said to
Him, “Oh Lord, please follow my words carefully.” Yashodara, wife
of Buddha, spoke to Him like this, “Oh Lord, what is it that you
had there in the forest that was not here in the palace? What is
here in the palace, which was not available there in the forest?
Do you consider the palace an obstacle? Did you feel that I would
not have permitted you to do penance or tapas here in the
palace?”
Buddha had no answer, just as Rama
had no answer when Sita started questioning him. Sita started
questioning Rama and He had no answer. That’s why Swami always
says, “Woman is known for her intelligence, while man is known for
his intellect.”
Intelligence and intellect are
different. Intelligence is emotion. Intelligence is reaction.
Intelligence is spontaneous. Intelligence is instantaneous, while
intellect is logic. Intellect is rational. Intellect likes to
reason. So, women symbolise intelligence. Before their
intelligence, the intellect cannot stand. That made Rama fail.
That made Buddha fail. They could not answer. And so, when I said
Buddha left His family, it was not for any reason other than His
choice was God. For Him, everything else was secondary.
© Anil Kumar Kamaraju 2004 - Here
reproduced for personal use of the devotees for the purpose of
seva.
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