Buddha with no name

  After a long day I decided to go outside and meditate with the calmness and serenity of the cool evening. It’s been many moons since I’ve set aside time to meditate, to simply breathe. I was reading Eknath Easwaran’s translation of Bhagavad Gita this evening and was moved by the third chapter in which Sri Krishna teaches Arjuna about yoga: the controlling of the senses. Sri Krishna says to Arjuna, “Those who take wisdom as their highest goal, whose faith is deep and whose senses are trained, attain wisdom quickly and enter into perfect peace”.  Perfect peace, I like this. 

   I’m never been a perfect meditator, and I’ve only been able to reach ephemeral states of halcyon and bliss. Discipline, diligence and persistance are essential to the path of yoga, but I remember Krishna saying somewhere in Gita that even small strides along the path of yoga are beneficial for this life and the next. As thoughts and memories weaved through my mind tonight I was remniscant of the Buddha with no name. 

  It was after my summer semester studying at ICMIS that I joined the 10 day Vipassana meditation course located on the distant outskirts of Bangalore. It was there I met the Buddha with no name. He was simply a meditator who had devoted his energies to teaching and guiding others in Gautamas’ teaching of Vipassana. His subtle aura radiated calmness and awareness. Often, when we imagine the yogi, the meditator, we see the image of an individual situated in some distinct esoteric asana. Asana, simply refers to the bodily position undertaken in the act of meditation. I watched the Buddha with no name situate his body in an asana where he simply sat with his legs crossed, and his hands in his lap. I’ll forever remember his simplicistic asana, and it reminds me that meditation is simply breathing, nothing more is required.

  After those 10 days, the final day would arrive and we would finally be allowed to break our vow of silence. I remember the Buddha with no name and another instructor came to me smiling. I was interesting for them as I was the only videshi, foreigner, who particpated in that meditation and they thought I wouldn’t be able to make it through the entire course. Dhyana, Meditation is fundamentally breathing, yet to simply breathe with awareness is a great discipline. We just breathe with awareness and this is all that is required. No esoteric asanas, no books on meditation, no incense just breathing with awareness. It’s as simple as the Buddha with no name.

Professional Life

  I just finished shining my leather shoes from Italy. I remember when I first met Sayan and Twisham, I really admired their professionalism. The dress pants, the collared shirt, and the tie. I remember visiting Twisham and Sayan at their office and the professionalism appealed to me.  I also remember my first week in Pittsburgh, and that weekend I flew to Atlanta, Georgia to visit yet another Indian friend of mine. And there I was arriving at the Atlanta airport in dress pants, a blue collared shirt, and a pair of New Balance shoes which simply didn’t match. Days later it was typical to find Twisham coming home after a long day, and he he would simply spend the majority of the weekends talking with his family over the computer.

  I admired it all really. I looked up to those guys. And here I am fresh out of college as a young Silicon Valley professional. My days at the office mainly consist of making phone calls with senior software managers and engineering manager’s from the world’s largest technology companies. I think back to my business management class with Krishnamurty at the International Center for Management and India Studies in Bangalore. Krishnamurty would always praise me, everyday he thought up something to make me smile. He would say things like, “Rory’s going to have the greatest tea business in the world”, emphasizing world with a a sincere, slow and exaggerated tone. I also think back to our international business class with Vinay Kumar and all those discussions with Sunny, Areli, and that Indian girl whose names alludes me.

  Then, there was always Takatoshi Iwashita and my first company Beat Generation. I would watch Taka spending entire nights studying for his master of business administration at Point Park University. He’s still one of my greatest inspirations. And now, here I am taking the bus to the office in the morning reading the business and technology section of the morning newspaper. I leave for work at 6:25am and return home at about 7pm, tired, and simply wanting to chill out. Chilling out, this is my balance. And then Draden wakes me form my rest calling me to let me know that he’s been researching suppliers for our clothing business. And it just continues on as I glare out at Silicon Valley from the balcony of our office, high in the sky, never forgetting where I came from.