Zorba The Buddha – In Gita Verse 13.22 The living entity in material nature thus follows the ways of life, enjoying the three modes of nature. This is due to his association with that material nature. Thus he meets with good and evil among various species.
Through this verse, Krishna communicates a profound message: Be a Witness and become Zorba The Buddha.
Zorba is the robust foundation upon which the palace of Buddha is built. Buddha may be the peak, but Zorba lays the essential foundation stones. It would be unwise to aspire to be a Buddha without these stones.
Krishna’s wisdom is precise and mathematical: a strong Zorba gives rise to an even stronger Buddha. Transformation into Buddha can occur in the blink of an eye, as long as the vital energy of Zorba is present. The marble that is Zorba must exist before the Buddha can be carved from it. Choose the marble, and Buddha emerges effortlessly – it is simply a matter of awakening. Krishna is concerned not with those who are already Zorbas but with those who are not. Without the raw material of Zorba, how can one sculpt a Buddha?
The poverty of spiritual richness in many arises from the misguided teachings of certain religious leaders. They have preached against materialism, extolled celibacy, glorified poverty, and painted life as inherently sinful. Such doctrines have eroded the Zorba within people. In truth, everyone is born a Zorba.
If all unfolds as per Krishna’s vision, everyone shall also die as Zorba The Buddha. The journey from the Greek to the Buddha isn’t very long, yet one must first fully embrace the Greek.
Koji says: “Nothing to choose, nothing to discard.”
This aligns perfectly with the principles of “Embrace Everything” and “Witness Joyfully.” Krishna’s teaching is about total acceptance – embrace everything that life offers without discrimination and witness each moment with joy.
Buddha might have chosen to forsake the world, but a man of totality embraces both the material and spiritual worlds without division, thus living a choiceless life. For a holistic being, this is a life where every facet of existence is accepted without preference or denial.
A Whole Man is the Only Holy Man: To achieve wholeness – to be Krishna’s Purna Purushottam – Zorba’s materialistic energies must be synthesised with Buddha’s spiritual presence. There’s no conflict in this union, no struggle between the tangible and the intangible. When Zorba’s vitality is embraced and witnessed through Buddha’s mindfulness, life becomes an extraordinary blend of vibrant energy and profound peace.
Krishna himself epitomised this union, which is why he is revered as the Complete Divine. Buddha’s life, devoid of laughter, dance, song, and love, would be hollow. Zorba, on the other hand, would have a life filled with these pleasures but would lack self-knowledge and comprehension of life’s eternal nature. Only by arriving at one’s centre can one truly experience life’s endless dance.
Krishna sees no contradiction. Centeredness in one’s being doesn’t preclude the expression of joy. Indeed, those who have found their centre should be the ones who laugh the loudest, who love the deepest, and who dance with the most abandon.
This is Krishna’s gift to the world: The harmonious existence of Zorba The Buddha.
Incorporating Zorba The Buddha into our daily lives fosters unity between the body and soul. We no longer squander energy fighting our nature but use it as a stepping stone towards growth. Total acceptance and unadulterated joy in witnessing life dispel psychological diseases borne from repression.
All too often, religions have split humanity. They’ve sown guilt and fostered duality within us. Only when we feel fragmented do we seek solace in temples and churches. But unity – a harmonious blend of Zorba’s earthly delights with Buddha’s serene wisdom – invites us to celebrate under the open skies, expressing our thanks not with words but with our very being.
To truly live as Krishna guides, we must be Zorba The Buddha. This will not only dissolve the internal dichotomy but also heal the divides within society. Let us then embrace every aspect of our existence, and witness our journey through life with unadulterated joy.
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