KARMA: Action chasing like one shadow.

Flood in ladakh:
 unknown and unexpected.

One fine early in the  morning, i was woke up by a noisy voice.It was 6th august 2010, when i opened my eyes i found my friend beside my bed and hurriedly telling me something about Ladakh, he informed me the news of flood in Ladakh. I ignored it and responded as usual that of daily news of natural calamites in newspapers.

During breakfast some others were also talking about Ladakh, as time goes by more others were taking about Ladakh. I just tried to concentrate on my study and went to attend classes, but i could not focus, i felt that i should exactly needed to know myself what has happened in Ladakh.

I left the classes and went to cyber room at library. I goggled the flood in Ladakh. and found that cloud had been burst and caused floods in Leh and its surrounding areas and killed many people, i felt shocked and still for a few seconds, that was first time i heard a huge disaster in Ladakh. I quickly finished reading detailed news.

According to scientist, the cloud burst found when lot of cloud and moisture come on one point, therefore the cloud unable to hold the huge weight of liquid for long time and pour like a shower, Which causing flood.

i immediately left the cyber room and tried to call my brother at choglamsar, but it was not working, may be the communication system was also affected, i think. I wished if i would be their at leh and could help affected people. When i went second time at cyber room, it was crowded by Ladakhi students just looking for updating news.

In the evening all Ladakh students gathered for prayer. i was just fifteen minute late for the prayer because at that time i could connect with my brother on phone and i was not willing to disconnect it until my balance say good bye. I felt i was crying inside when he told me real situation, he was one of the eye witnesses of that disaster. I was very happy to hear that he could saved two persons by collapsed house on that night. he continuing in one tone "the rain was extraordinary I have not seen it before, the rain falling like a shower. it was 2 am when the rain began to stop and immediately we rushed towards the sound of flood . As I arrived near the spot, i heard somebody was crying for help inside the collapsed house and i rushed towards that noise,” he said sadly.

I wanted to do something to help the victims but what how could i do , i stayed alone for quite long and thought, it was not meditation but thinking about the victims, why they had to face such situation.

Did this happen because of their previous action (KARMA)? This question was raised frequently in my mind. I could not concentrated on study, i was feeling rather ill. I knew i would not get normal until i got answer. I tried to read text of the Buddha's teaching just to confirm that every thing is just happened by one own previous deeds. I had read the Sutra of WISE AND FOOL. The texts contained many real stories of action and result told by the Buddha.

Continuously i read lot a of other texts for hours, in briefly they say that no one can escape from one action. the law of action is chasing like one's own shadow till one experienced result. in a simple words, if you cultivate good action you will get good result. If you cultivate bad action you will get bad result. May be the victims experienced the result of their previous action, i thought.

The following day Ladakh students were once again gathered at sarnath DAMAKH sutpa and MULGANDA KUTI VIHAR to pray and offer butter lamps for those

victims of flood. i did not go to attend prayer that time, I was confidently telling others that my prayer would not help them but one can get help by one's previous action.

Time moved rapidly after that, a couple of weeks later, i met an honorable Geshe and i just asked him hurriedly about law of action, as a hungry person asks for food.

We talked a lot and at last remembering the flood in Ladakh he said that no place seems to be kept away from natural disaster, we are bounded by suffering. no matter, whether

one is stay on mountain, plain area or sea coast. there are tsunami in sea coast , earthquake in some area , land slide in mountain and flood everywhere.

"Most people ignore positive action when they are alive. they are thinking only for present life . but the Buddha told that one must think and do for next life more then present life, because next life are immeasurable", he said.

I asked him if people's destiny was made by previous action, how does prayer help them.he replied, of course prayer helps, however one action is more important. If only prayer help, then the Buddha would have made us enlightened long ago. Infact this has not happened, therefore the Buddha told that one must be responsible for one's action and its result. Finally i asked him what action is. (KARMA) he smiled compassionately and told me, action is our daily behaviors performed by physically, orally and mentally. If we cultivate good actions through these three types of door, we get happiness and peace.

I was very happy and became active. I immediately told Geshe la that i will do my best to practice good action. he encouraged me to move further, later, he folded his palm like lotus flower and said, The Buddha told in briefly;

"Commit no negative action,     

Do all positive action.

Purify one own mind,

This is teaching of Buddha."

Keeping this in mind i went to offer butter lamp at damakh stupa and the place where the Buddha gave his first teaching (THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTH). I stayed there for while thinking for the victims in the flood. I prayed that all the victims may reborn in human life again and cultivate good action. That is what I can do for the victims and I myself took resolution from that day at least not harm other if I could not help other.

Really the death is unknown and unexpected. once it fall upon us, it is unhappy and unacceptable. We must wear armour of good action, so it can protect us after death and save us from weapon of suffering.

The sun was just set down as i was ready to return from Mulganda kuti vihar. It was getting dark, the birds were returning at there nest. I also began to return thinking that if I could not practice good action right now. I would do it in near future. This is what made me strong in spirit. this is what made me reason to live… .

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