Despite Mr. Srijith Nair’s claims that his life had been ‘totally transformed’ by attending a two week meditation retreat conducted by the Vipaassana Buddhist foundation, his friends claimed that he’s still the “same shallow and self centred chap we’ve always known.”
“Yeah, we were all pretty surprised at first when we heard from our buddy Sri about the Foundation. Don’t get me wrong. We’ve always heard him talk about how his life was filled with emptiness and how he craved the simple pleasures in life. We always dismissed it as musings of a middle aged man who had one drink too many. Never in our wildest dreams did we believe that he had it in him to follow through on his thoughts. Naturally, we were all pretty excited for him when he told us about the retreat. Our expectations rocketed when we found that the Vipaassana camp is widely regarded for its unbending rigor and discipline. Ever since Sri’s return from the retreat, we’ve been observing him closely and I can categorically confirm that we have not been able to detect any change whatsoever in him at all. He continues to be the same shallow, immature and self serving Sri we’ve always known,” said Mr. Anand Hariharan, who studied with Mr. Nair in college and has remained a close friend ever since.
In the meanwhile, Mr Nair, according to friends and colleagues, continues to unapologetically project himself as “a changed man,” vehemently asserting his newly acquired spiritual credentials at every little opportunity. “Sri’s been acting rather funny. He’s now walking around with a detached air of superiority and sprinkling a liberal amount of Zen aphorisms into daily conversations. It’s like he’s suddenly become better than us,” complained a colleague who preferred to stay unnamed for this article.
A spokeswoman for the Foundation had this to say, “It’s not our policy to comment on changes which specific patrons may or not have experienced from attending our retreats. However, it is fair to say that such lack of fundamental transformation is normal and no cause for alarm. Everyone knows that human beings are basically survival machines with the selfish gene coded in. Notwithstanding Buddha’s unbridled optimism about human ability to adhere to the Noble Path, you must understand that people are basically incorrigible by nature. This too shall pass.”
From the What Ho! report
What Ho! 
Oh,marvelous.Vipassana camp for ten days with no outside world contact.That is the rigor.Many such Sris are there.
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Oh,marvelous.Vipassana camp for ten days with no outside world contact.That is the rigor.Many such Sris are there.
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I wonder if any ten-day camp can change behaviors and mindsets of a lifetime of any human being!
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It does Ma’m. All you need is an understanding why one is at the camp in the first place. It took a lifetime to be at a position at what one is. This technique – or as I put it the truth that was always there – makes you realize you were always in control but you never took control. Your mind serves you and not the other way around. Just by following it blindly – that wont help – All it takes is to realize why one is at the camp. And believe me when that happens – you will see changes. Just to add you have used the word – Mindsets (From wiki – mindset is a set of assumptions, methods, or notations held by one or more people or groups of people that is so established that it creates a powerful incentive within these people or groups to continue to adopt or accept prior behaviors, choices, or tools). You get a mindset when you follow things blindly – when you question the mindset – you become aware of the choices in front of you. That is what Vipassana brings out from you. I practice Vipassana and am not a loudmouth when it comes to sharing about the practice with others – What it has taught me is to understand people more better now. What I have learnt is that people are what they choose to be. All I have to do is be compassionate to others (I try). Every second you are learning something and stays with you till the end of time until you realize that what you learnt someday – you will be applying it some other time in your life. There is an action – there will be a reaction. You have control over the action – but not on the reaction. If someone has a mindset – all I want to do is be compassionate to him/her. I want him/her to know that there will always be a “change” which might not be in his/her control – what you have in control is “choice”. VIpassana helps you see that. From the bible – “Then Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do”.” If someone like Jesus is saying – we can try to live like him. He was dying but showed compassion towards the person who was actually killing him. All this while I was praying to god to do things for me – Vipassana helped me to look at god’s qualities and try to bring them in my own life (I try :-)). I might have sounded like a mouthpiece for Vipassana – but believe me this is something that cam straight from the heart. It seems it was in there for quite a while but felt the urge to express myself.
So lets not do a blame game or something – just think. Thats one thing only death will take away from you.
Sincerely
TJ
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There is a beautiful Sanskrit proverb or saying “Loko Binna ruchihi”.” There will be millions and millions of differing tastes and views. There is another proverb saying that “one man’s food is another man’s poison”. It all depends on the man who experiences it and his attitude to what he has underwent.
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Totally in favour of your response Mr. Balakrishnan. I really liked your way of putting your point. Short, simple and easy to understand. I surely would love to learn your way. The quote that you provided did (and I hope it continues to) have an impact on me. Everyone makes a choice – its theirs to think. I cannot force my thoughts on someone else or influence someone else. Nor does my opinion matters. The only person that it matters for is me. Thanks again for that. Now back to the long boring paragraph (not preaching … lol)
It could very well be useless to another if he/she wants to follow it blindly. It all boils down to one thing (this is strictly my view) – How about asking your own self – “Why am I here?”.
There will be someone who is there after a breakup, or is trying to quit smoking, or getting rid of addiction or self realization or any other reason that one wants to go for. What is the intention behind that – that is the key.
Like many – I was always asked to go pray every morning, go to the temple – for a happy life – that would have been an ideal situation. But no – I started smoking – this leaded to drinking – then all the bad things possible followed.
I was taught how to follow but not taught how to think(By the way – I have lived in a boarding and away from parents most of my life – 75%). But thanks to my parents – the time that I spend more with them they helped me realize the power of choice – they did that by their actions and deeds. This helped me to question my intent behind everything that I do. This would have been the case before I started smoking – I might not have smoked the first cigarette – I did not know that I had a choice. I blame myself for that when I know that all this while I was enjoying “following”. It was easy and proven to be reliable :-).
Sorry to bring all this things – wanted to give an example about upbringing and teaching how to think. This helped me to follow my instincts more freely – and at the same time questioning myself and my intent helped me realize one thing – “The only person that I fool is myself. Why waste time – lets make a better choice”. It helps me see the bigger picture.
From a website (http://quozio.com/quote/0bc54d64#!t=1038) – “Every tidal wave begins with a ripple. Make sure the ripple you create is what you want coming back to you; eventually it will return.” How about replacing the word “ripple” with “thought” and “tidal wave” with “change”.
Sincerely
TJ
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Thank you for your comments. I sincerely believe that , only persuasion and force is the best tool tyo bring one round to your point of view. If you succeeds, you are lucky. If not, do not blame the other. Every one is entitled to have their own opinion on nay subject. I just remembered another famous quote of Dr Samuel Johnson “You can take the horse to the pond, but cannot make it drink”. Any how thanks.
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Sorry. In my comments there was a mistake. The phrase should read as , “persuasion and not force’ is the correct one.
LikeLike
I wonder if any ten-day camp can change behaviors and mindsets of a lifetime of any human being!
LikeLike
It does Ma’m. All you need is an understanding why one is at the camp in the first place. It took a lifetime to be at a position at what one is. This technique – or as I put it the truth that was always there – makes you realize you were always in control but you never took control. Your mind serves you and not the other way around. Just by following it blindly – that wont help – All it takes is to realize why one is at the camp. And believe me when that happens – you will see changes. Just to add you have used the word – Mindsets (From wiki – mindset is a set of assumptions, methods, or notations held by one or more people or groups of people that is so established that it creates a powerful incentive within these people or groups to continue to adopt or accept prior behaviors, choices, or tools). You get a mindset when you follow things blindly – when you question the mindset – you become aware of the choices in front of you. That is what Vipassana brings out from you. I practice Vipassana and am not a loudmouth when it comes to sharing about the practice with others – What it has taught me is to understand people more better now. What I have learnt is that people are what they choose to be. All I have to do is be compassionate to others (I try). Every second you are learning something and stays with you till the end of time until you realize that what you learnt someday – you will be applying it some other time in your life. There is an action – there will be a reaction. You have control over the action – but not on the reaction. If someone has a mindset – all I want to do is be compassionate to him/her. I want him/her to know that there will always be a “change” which might not be in his/her control – what you have in control is “choice”. VIpassana helps you see that. From the bible – “Then Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do”.” If someone like Jesus is saying – we can try to live like him. He was dying but showed compassion towards the person who was actually killing him. All this while I was praying to god to do things for me – Vipassana helped me to look at god’s qualities and try to bring them in my own life (I try :-)). I might have sounded like a mouthpiece for Vipassana – but believe me this is something that cam straight from the heart. It seems it was in there for quite a while but felt the urge to express myself.
So lets not do a blame game or something – just think. Thats one thing only death will take away from you.
Sincerely
TJ
LikeLike
There is a beautiful Sanskrit proverb or saying “Loko Binna ruchihi”.” There will be millions and millions of differing tastes and views. There is another proverb saying that “one man’s food is another man’s poison”. It all depends on the man who experiences it and his attitude to what he has underwent.
LikeLike
Totally in favour of your response Mr. Balakrishnan. I really liked your way of putting your point. Short, simple and easy to understand. I surely would love to learn your way. The quote that you provided did (and I hope it continues to) have an impact on me. Everyone makes a choice – its theirs to think. I cannot force my thoughts on someone else or influence someone else. Nor does my opinion matters. The only person that it matters for is me. Thanks again for that. Now back to the long boring paragraph (not preaching … lol)
It could very well be useless to another if he/she wants to follow it blindly. It all boils down to one thing (this is strictly my view) – How about asking your own self – “Why am I here?”.
There will be someone who is there after a breakup, or is trying to quit smoking, or getting rid of addiction or self realization or any other reason that one wants to go for. What is the intention behind that – that is the key.
Like many – I was always asked to go pray every morning, go to the temple – for a happy life – that would have been an ideal situation. But no – I started smoking – this leaded to drinking – then all the bad things possible followed.
I was taught how to follow but not taught how to think(By the way – I have lived in a boarding and away from parents most of my life – 75%). But thanks to my parents – the time that I spend more with them they helped me realize the power of choice – they did that by their actions and deeds. This helped me to question my intent behind everything that I do. This would have been the case before I started smoking – I might not have smoked the first cigarette – I did not know that I had a choice. I blame myself for that when I know that all this while I was enjoying “following”. It was easy and proven to be reliable :-).
Sorry to bring all this things – wanted to give an example about upbringing and teaching how to think. This helped me to follow my instincts more freely – and at the same time questioning myself and my intent helped me realize one thing – “The only person that I fool is myself. Why waste time – lets make a better choice”. It helps me see the bigger picture.
From a website (http://quozio.com/quote/0bc54d64#!t=1038) – “Every tidal wave begins with a ripple. Make sure the ripple you create is what you want coming back to you; eventually it will return.” How about replacing the word “ripple” with “thought” and “tidal wave” with “change”.
Sincerely
TJ
LikeLike
Thank you for your comments. I sincerely believe that , only persuasion and force is the best tool tyo bring one round to your point of view. If you succeeds, you are lucky. If not, do not blame the other. Every one is entitled to have their own opinion on nay subject. I just remembered another famous quote of Dr Samuel Johnson “You can take the horse to the pond, but cannot make it drink”. Any how thanks.
LikeLike
Sorry. In my comments there was a mistake. The phrase should read as , “persuasion and not force’ is the correct one.
LikeLike
I really admire those who can sit through the retreat, if not for anything, but the sheer effort it takes to do it. But apparently it takes more than one sitting to bring about any kind of change.
I love these ‘reports’ by Laughing Gas 🙂
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I really admire those who can sit through the retreat, if not for anything, but the sheer effort it takes to do it. But apparently it takes more than one sitting to bring about any kind of change.
I love these ‘reports’ by Laughing Gas 🙂
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I feel there is absolutely no need to go to such retreats at all. Let us sit at home, and retreat to self contemplation for a few hours every day. I will bring a real transformation than such camps.
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I feel there is absolutely no need to go to such retreats at all. Let us sit at home, and retreat to self contemplation for a few hours every day. I will bring a real transformation than such camps.
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Unless a psychological revolution happens within a person, nothing is going to change – camps or no camps…
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Unless a psychological revolution happens within a person, nothing is going to change – camps or no camps…
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