I saw this story in nature and the author is only 18 years old!
Inspired by this I decided to continue on the story: (Hope this doesn't count as plagiarizing as I acknowledge the source.)
As I stepped out of the hospital, having their parietal-lobe disabled, I saw celebrations in towns and streets and the Common Law Act has effectively reduced the population of those who are chronically deluded to zero. I was the last one.
Since it started 4 months ago, more than half of the world's population has converted to atheists and crime rates are at all time high.
I picked up a newspaper from the stand, the usual length of a newspaper doubled to include these new crimes. And scientist are hard at work finding the part in our brains that causes violence and uncontrolled lust. Once it is found, the whole world will once again go through a cleansing of (this time) morals.
Good luck to them. I thought, no longer having an inner sense of security. My face was haggarded, no point to cheer up to live a meaningless life. I have almost forgotten everything they taught us in the school. All hope seemed lost.
However, one group of people remained unchanged. I met them accidentally. On the streets where screams of woman can be heard and the atmosphere stinks of the crimes that about to happen, a group of serene looking people... Serene I said yes!... came and begged for alms. They looked poor, with only the robes on their backs, and the bowl on their hands, they seemed homeless and ready to sleep anywhere.
Then one of them came and stop in front of me, for a few seconds. For just a second, my heart freeze, my mind worked again.
In this world of cruelty and without the Almighty, one can hardly expect anyone to do good. One can hardly get an opportunity to do good. It's everyone for their own on their own. Yet this recluse, this man who has abandoned everything worldly including his hair. He offered me a chance to do good! Maybe goodness has not been all gone in the world, maybe we can still have a ray of hope.
And so I took out a note from my wallet but before I could give it, he withdraw the bowl and smiled at me, "Sorry young friend, but my training rule does not allow me to receive gold and silver. Please save it for someone else who has not gone forth." He started to walk away.
"Wait!", that was all that I could think of saying to stop him.
He stopped and with infinite grace and calmness turned around for my query.
"I thought they had everyone turned to non-religious vegabonds, and yet here you are. You looked like you know the Creator. How could the satellite missed you?"
He smiled and said, "I don't know the Creator, I do not have blind faith. My faith and confidence is deeply rooted in my experiences from my practises. "
"Pray tell me your practise." I pleaded.
"To avoid evil, to do good, and to purify one's mind. That is my practise." The Venerable Sir in robes said.
"How can one do good when one is not in touch with the Omnibenevolent one?"
"There are good and evil in everyone. Whatever actions we do is a choice we all make, the way to deliverance depends on us, not on anyone outside."
I was dumbfounded. Self reliance. What a beautiful concept! What an unique and apt solution to the Scientific Crusade!
I kneeled down and politely asked him, "Please tell me the name of your Lord that teaches this. I wish to convert."
He then replied,
- Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing,
- nor upon tradition,
- nor upon rumor,
- nor upon what is in a scripture,
- nor upon surmise,
- nor upon an axiom,
- nor upon specious reasoning,
- nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over,
- nor upon another's seeming ability,
- nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher."
I was shocked! This is more rigorous than what Science demands! Here is a religion that cannot fall in the face of Science. Here is a religion bigger than Science itself! Science may control the brain, but self control of our mind is the foolproof way to avoid the chaos in the world now.
Tears in my eyes now, I fully prostrate myself at his feet and asked for the name of his religion, so that I may seek the light.
He smiled and just replied, "Buddhism."
Ok story ends.
Notes: I have no idea whether what the removal/deactivation of the parietal-lobe will do to Buddhist meditation. However, the teachings of the Buddha are as true as I can make it here.
The main moral of the story I hope to convey is that the world need religions, one religion or another. And I do prefer it that the Scientific Crusade will never happen. Other than to avoid the increase in crimes and depression, most importantly is to never deny others of their own faith.
Also this "Here is a religion that cannot fall in the face of Science." statement is just the author's personal view, it may or may not be true. What I think is more realistic is that all religions will suffer from the Scientific Crusade in one way or another but they will survive in one form or another.
This is not meant to look down upon any religions, just an interesting exploration of one possible future.
To study and learn more about Buddhism please visit:
http://www.buddhist-temples.com/buddhism-facts/buddhism-for-beginner.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/
Sources copied from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalama_Sutta
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