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The ideal of conquest has always kindled man’s imagination. There is a worrier in every one of us. All too often we take up the challenge that comes from outside - to conquer our fellowmen, wealth, earth and even space. We think we can be victorious that way. But the Buddha on the other hand, reminds us of a challenge that comes from within - a challenge we have been too timid to take up. According to him "Though one conquers thousand and thousands of men in the battle field, yet he is the noblest victor who conquers himself".
For this conquest of self, one has to battle with the forces of evil within - the hordes of Märä, the evil ones as they are called. To awaken the worrier in man and to turn him towards this conquest, the Buddha uttered a steering battle - cry. "Get set go forth and fight the inward battle in the Buddha’s dispensation, crush the forces of Märä even like an elephant a house of reeds." Inspired by this battle cry, even robbers , murderers and prostitutes gave up their bloody and shady avocations to put on the saffron armour with a shaven head and go forth for the conquest of self. Many a battle has been fought and won at the weakest point in ones fortress. So they left behind their degradations to march out for inward conquest on the Noble Eight fold Path with its correct stress on the ‘Right’. Right view, Right Though, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Living, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration. they emerged victorious, wining the ambrosial bliss of Nibbana. |