Rishikesh

Here is an interesting story about Bodhisatva and Charvaka. Buddha was reborn a monk. One day, he was wandering in the jungles surrounding the Anantha Pindaka Buddha Vihara. He saw that an ugly looking man was sitting under a tree, eating something. The man looked at Bodhisatva and asked him who he was. Bodhisatva introduced himself. Charvaka replied: ``Oh you are the famous monk who sits for hours in the Vihara doing nothing and begs for food!’’ I am Charvaka the famous agnostic. I am eating a chicken I stole from a farmer’s backyard. Here is the pot of ghee I stole from a shop’’. Charvaka invites Bodhisatva for lunch. And then, the two enjoy a lunch, chatting and joking. This is Bodhisatva legend and not all of them are true. But then, I was reminded of this story when US President Barak Obama wished he would dine with Mahatma Gandhi. I am sure Gandhiji would have accepted the invite if he were to be alive. He would have carried his favourite dishes; peanuts, goat milk and ground whe...

“In this land of Gandhi, it appears that nobody follows Gandhi… Follow the Gandhian principle of ’see no evil’. Why do you not simply switch off the TV? “We have very good advice for you. You have got two judges sitting here who do not watch TV at all. It will certainly help. Individual ideas of morality are not the business of the court. We are not sitting here for moral policing… You approach the Parliament and get the remedy. “The courts cannot be expected to deal with issues that involve different individual perceptions.” “Our culture is no so fragile that it will be affected by one TV show. Moreover, nobody in his individual capacity can be allowed to take upon the social order and ask for directions. “You are asking us to entertain an area which deals with perceptions and opinions. Further, morality yardsticks are to be decided by the government. We cannot decide the issue. We are not sure whether the show has brought out the truth of many people but it is certain that it has bro...