The Map Is Not The Territory

The world cup for the best football team is in full swing and I have been following the game on Television. And that was one of the main reason I got my 20 year old TV replaced by a 3D HD sports smart TV. Watching the game has been really fascinating. As the players sweat it out to win matches I am thrilled to notice the sheer energy, euphoria, heat, stress, tension, joy, happiness, each one of them carries with them. Getting pushed, kicked and injury is like part of the show. While some get hurt badly and carried away in a stretcher some just get up and carry on. What is interesting to see that in most cases the players involved claim innocence. “I did not do it…it was him…it was just an accident”. And as a spectator I tend to support my team…whatever be the scenario.
Football players clashing

I came across a similar experience recently and I find that as the most powerful learning’s to take away. When it… I realised that it hit my core. A number of thoughts kept playing around…what went wrong…was it good or bad…was it my fault or the other person fault…replaying the images in my mind again and again to find out what could be the truth. I found out that I was no different like the football player claiming innocence. And as I experience what I experience I underwent the pain of this process too… I was shattered and so was was my self esteem….which went plummeting down like the stock market. Lost in deep trance for days I was in disbelief questioning my larger purpose of who I am and what was I doing. I …I decided to to find out what has to be true for this to be true.

Sitting under the huge peepal tree one morning the wandering monk Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. He set out from the peaceful groove where he had finally found the truth he had long sought, to share it with others. He journey to where he had arrived had a thousand miles seeking answer to humanity. ‘Who shall I teach first?’ he asked himself. ‘Who will be able to understand this great truth that is so profound and so subtle?’ And he began a journey…

The larger questions I ask is… what is that I want for myself from all this. What about the truth that I hold. That what is true for the other person…how can it be true for me…Is there anyone who would be interested in my truth. This search of mine… only lead me ponder deeper and deeper and I find myself…asking …so what …who is interested in my truth… Like the football audience which supports their team…maybe I will have my audience who will be… But is that the real truth…if so…according to whom…Is the world interested in knowing the truth. Or some one truth.

Buddha had achieved what he went in search for…With the football player it is about winning. I fall back and ask what am here to achieve… from whom ..for what. And as I dwell asking a number of these big questions at my purpose level it dawn on me that yes I too want to win…I too what to achieve. Achieve by sharing, winning by giving, winning by loving…by being the truth. Will I be so…

So to me all those of you who cross my path and have played the role of that Buddha. You are my teacher. You have held a purpose for me. You taught me to be truthful to the world…truthful in ways that is right for others… whatever be the scenario.

And realising this I say,

“Forgive me for whatever I did and however I came about and made you feel”
“I am responsible”
And that is the truth…