Starting on the journey-The story of the Buddha and a merchant

On attaining Nirvana, the Buddha started giving sermons at Sarnath,near Varanasi,India.
A merchant used to attend these sermons.One day he approached Buddha and told him " Sir,with all due respect to you,I feel that the sermons are of no use.You take so much pain to explain the path etc. and it is as if falling on deaf ears.I have not improved at all and my friends whom I persuaded to come, have started behaving worse than before.So,stop. Do not waste time and labour."
On hearing this the Bhikkus(the priests) got angry and started to beat him.Buddha stopped them,telling them that the man had raised a valid point.
Buddha told that merchant" Sir,I will explain why I keep on sermonizing.But firstly tell me which part of India you are coming from because from your facial features,you seem not to belong here."
The man replied that he came from Pataliputra,a town some 350km.away and which required 3 day's journey for him.He stated that he procures his goods from his home town and comes to Varanasi and sells them. As soon as the goods are sold,he starts on the return journey.
Buddha asked him how many times he had made that journey.The merchant replied that he started selling here as far as 30 years back and might have made that journey about 150 times.
Buddha stated that the merchant must be knowing the road thoroughly by now.The merchant replied " Sir,I can walk to my town blindfolded -so to say.". Buddha said" Sir,you must be knowing all the features of the road". The Merchant replied " Oh yes,thoroughly.I know where good halting places are and I know where thieves or wild beasts may be encountered." Buddha then asked " Sir,suppose a man wants to go to Pataliputra,you will be able to guide him,then?" The man replied " Of course!".
Buddha the asked his final question" Sir,when you will explain the road to Pataliputra,the man will be reaching it I suppose." The man exclaimed" Sir,I do not understand what you mean.Please restate." Buddha repeated that the merchant will explain the road to the man wanting to go there and on hearing that, the man will reach there. The merchant laughed and told Buddha that Buddha was making fun of him.How can anybody reach a destination on just hearing how to go there! Buddha laughingly asked " Sir,what else is required?".The man replied that the man desirous of journeying to Pataliputra must start walking towards Pataliputra on the explained path. Buddha then said" Exactly ! I have travelled on" that path" and have come back. That is why people call me "Tathagata" i.e.the one who has returned from "there".I want you people to take that path so I explain the path to you. But how can you reach there without starting on the journey?You must start on the journey first !

Originally posted by rvsakhadeo
On attaining Nirvana, the Buddha started giving sermons at Sarnath,near Varanasi,India.
A merchant used to attend these sermons.One day he approached Buddha and told him " Sir,with all due respect to you,I feel that the sermons are of no use.You take so much pain to explain the path etc. and it is as if falling on deaf ears.I have not improved at all and ...[text shortened]... ithout starting on the journey?You must start on the journey first !

So go find a quiet place and sit conciously for 10 min and contemplate this story🙂

Actually there is way more stuff on gutama buddhas life than jesus'. Way more.
Jesus only had 3 years of his life recorded whereas guatam had nearly his whole life written about. The fact that he bcame an avatar of hinduism says to me that if another religon accepted him as a god,then he must have had a pretty powerful effect on people and a very profound, unique life.

There is just so much in gutamas sermons and writings that it still speaks volumes today. Some stories have been altered by some buddhist scholars but, often it has been for the sake of clarity in contemporary times rather than trying to change any core message.

No doubt people have taken advantage of "buddhist capitalists" who maybe goto India and get rorted by false gurus or whatnot. But hey, wouldn't you if you were them? 😉 (Maybe, depending on how big of an a-holes they were) lol

(You need not goto India to find spirituality😉 )

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Actually there is way more stuff on gutama buddhas life than jesus'. Way more.
Jesus only had 3 years of his life recorded whereas guatam had nearly his whole life written about. The fact that he bcame an avatar of hinduism says to me that if another religon accepted him as a god,then he must have had a pretty powerful effect on people and a very profo ...[text shortened]... on how big of an a-holes they were) lol

(You need not goto India to find spirituality😉 )

Adya Shankaracharya simply says"Uddharet atmani atmanam ", meaning "Make your own efforts to uplift yourself(spiritually)".
God is within your own heart.All that God wants from you is your Bhakti.No need for any pilgrimage to India.

Originally posted by rvsakhadeo
Adya Shankaracharya simply says"Uddharet atmani atmanam ", meaning "Make your own efforts to uplift yourself(spiritually)".
God is within your own heart.All that God wants from you is your Bhakti.No need for any pilgrimage to India.

I had a desire to goto Japan to a zen monastary when I was 20 or so.
I meditated on this for a few weeks and then the answer became clear- I need not go anywhere. All of life is a teacher, not just the zen masters