Sunday, September 16, 2012

Buddha beckons

As I try to gather the loose strings of this post in my mind, a faint, haunting smell of mustard wafts its way through the windows. Being the queen of associative nostalgia, I am at once reminded of my most favorite comfort food - roasted potatoes mashed in a drizzle of mustard oil, with a bunch of chopped onions and green chilies thrown in for that aromatic kick. And that settles it, the tonight's dinner dilemma.

Before I confuse you further with the mismatching of the post title and its beginning, I must very quickly come back. Straying, as you must be quite aware of by now, comes so very naturally to me.
So Buddha, the great Gautama. Neither am I spiritual, nor am I a regular reader of his teachings, The Dhammapada, like my father and his childhood friend. It's just that face, that radiant, reverberating pool of wisdom and serenity. Those quiet, half-closed eyes and the kind lips curled into a forever understanding smile. They are my collective refuge, from the woes of inconsiderate, loud neighbors, the downsides of staying in a ground floor apartment and the soot making its way into our lives from the nearby, always running highway. Sure, one cannot immediately find a new place and afford to go through the settling-in drama all over again, one can only hope to adapt. To the noise, the blackening doom and the growing restlessness. The face muffles it all, for a while at least.


"Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without."
~ Buddha


12 comments:

  1. Hello Suman:
    It is so strange how the merest whiff of a scent can transport one into a different time, a different place or even a different country. Your mustardy mashed potato sounds wonderful. As we love all things potatoey we shall have to give this a try.

    And, how wise it is to say that 'peace comes from within'. In our experience we have seen people in the worst of situations with an inner calm that is as close to divine as we can determine. And yet, for others, their lives are chaotic no matter how advantageous their circumstances.

    Your writing always gives us pause for thought and for that we thank you!

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    1. Dear Jane and Lance, the pleasure is all mine. You are as always so very kind and I must say, I am glad that my hastily sketched posts strike a chord with you.

      Regarding the roasted potato, I promise, it won't be a disappointment!

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  2. Hello Suman

    You say it well when you say "peace comes from within" The movie "Life is Beautiful" demonstrated this when the father in keeping up morale pretended their hiding from the Nazi's was all a game.

    Your potato dinner sounds delicious
    Helen xx

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    1. Hello Helen, that is a very befitting example and one of the most beautiful movies too.
      Hope you had a great weekend.

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  3. Perhaps the first peaceful stirrings originated with the decision made about dinner? :-)

    Smells are very evocative, I only have to have a whiff of woodland mustiness and damp and I am instantly transferred to a childhood spent in the woods of my home country. Nostalgia overwhelms me every time.



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    1. Absolutely Friko, the potato nostalgia settled it all! And I'm glad, I'm not the only one who tosses and turns at the slightest of the reminiscent moments.

      Wait, I know that "woodland mustiness" too well; it straightaway takes me to Seattle, that perennial rain city.

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  4. "Peace comes from within". We need a life to learn this lesson. Buddha is my shelter. I really love his quotes/words.. It's very inspirational. By the way, I like the statue. A red Buddha is not usual.
    The roasted potatoes sound great !

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    1. Yes, his words are truly inspiring.
      I found the red bust recently, one more to add to my ever-growing Buddha collection. It's difficult, resisting that face!

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  5. I always feel peace and calmness whenever I think of buddha or visit a temple with monks. This is a lovely red bust.

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  6. Beautiful writing! I really want to visit your house and see all your creativity! :)

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    Replies
    1. Swati, you are more than welcome, you know. Thank you for the kind words.

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