What’s your porridge?
The concept for Sujata’s Porridge began in 1999 while I was living in India. It was April, my sister had come to visit, and we headed out sightseeing around Rajasthan, where we learned that this was the off-season for a reason. In the sweltering heat, we splurged and hired an air-conditioned car and driver rather than brave the sardine-can-like buses through the desert. The car had some difficulty traveling up-hill with the air-conditioning going, so we stopped frequently to let the car cool-down (or warm-up as it was). One of the more eventful stops was at a popular Jain temple in Ranakpur. All leather products and menstruating women were to be left at the door, and Kelly dutifully complied, parking herself under a tree while I had a look around on my own. The temple was made of beautifully ornate, carved marble and was completely symmetrical, all corners appeared identical, and I quickly became lost. Luckily, a monk who I later learned to be the head priest approached and asked if I’d like a tour. We chatted at length as we wandered around the grounds, about philosophy, my past lives, strengths and hindrances (he said I was unique and special yet imbalanced in some way!), and although he was happy to hear of my interest in Buddhism at home in Himachal Pradesh, he invited me to join them at the temple for further studies. As we continued our stroll, he suggested we meditate together, so we sat quietly for some time, on the hard marble floor, comfortably cool in the shade of the torrid sun. When we arose from mediation he asked if any of my teachers had given me a Buddhist name. At the time the answer was no, since I was still an embryonic Buddhist, so he offered me my first Dharma name, Sujata, and asked if I knew her story.
As the story goes, back in the 6th century BCE, Prince Siddharta Guatama left the extravagance of his royal palace in search of a method to end suffering. He fell into the opposite lifestyle of strict asceticism, and although he learned a great deal, it wasn’t until he discarded both extremes, and embraced the middle way, that he was able to reach his goal. A young girl called Sujata offered him a porridge made of rice and milk, and he ate well for the first time in years. After his meal, he sat down under the Bodhi tree and meditated until he attained enlightenment, realizing the nature and cause of suffering and the steps necessary to eliminate it.
I emerged from the meditation session and the temple with a new name, a cooler backside, and the seeds of an idea, just in time to avert a search and rescue mission Kelly was about to launch. Right then, what’s this idea? In the story, Sujata was simply a generous girl, kind to an ailing, impoverished homeless man, but her benevolence had an incredible impact on the world as it allowed “Buddha” to reach his fullest potential. So then, if I am to be a Sujata of sorts, I propose a question. What sustenance will allow others to reach their highest potential? There certainly are the basic needs of food, clean water, shelter, safety and health care, but can’t art, music, and innovative ideas also be associative causes for becoming our greater selves? What nectar brings out your beauty? It is my intent to explore the recipe for this metaphorical porridge, and develop a community that endeavors to provide that sustenance. At first, Sujata’s Porridge may be more of a travel journal as I move from Seattle to Melbourne, but I hope in time it will become more than just a log of my reflections.
The concept for Sujata’s Porridge began in 1999 while I was living in India. It was April, my sister had come to visit, and we headed out sightseeing around Rajasthan, where we learned that this was the off-season for a reason. In the sweltering heat, we splurged and hired an air-conditioned car and driver rather than brave the sardine-can-like buses through the desert. The car had some difficulty traveling up-hill with the air-conditioning going, so we stopped frequently to let the car cool-down (or warm-up as it was). One of the more eventful stops was at a popular Jain temple in Ranakpur. All leather products and menstruating women were to be left at the door, and Kelly dutifully complied, parking herself under a tree while I had a look around on my own. The temple was made of beautifully ornate, carved marble and was completely symmetrical, all corners appeared identical, and I quickly became lost. Luckily, a monk who I later learned to be the head priest approached and asked if I’d like a tour. We chatted at length as we wandered around the grounds, about philosophy, my past lives, strengths and hindrances (he said I was unique and special yet imbalanced in some way!), and although he was happy to hear of my interest in Buddhism at home in Himachal Pradesh, he invited me to join them at the temple for further studies. As we continued our stroll, he suggested we meditate together, so we sat quietly for some time, on the hard marble floor, comfortably cool in the shade of the torrid sun. When we arose from mediation he asked if any of my teachers had given me a Buddhist name. At the time the answer was no, since I was still an embryonic Buddhist, so he offered me my first Dharma name, Sujata, and asked if I knew her story.
As the story goes, back in the 6th century BCE, Prince Siddharta Guatama left the extravagance of his royal palace in search of a method to end suffering. He fell into the opposite lifestyle of strict asceticism, and although he learned a great deal, it wasn’t until he discarded both extremes, and embraced the middle way, that he was able to reach his goal. A young girl called Sujata offered him a porridge made of rice and milk, and he ate well for the first time in years. After his meal, he sat down under the Bodhi tree and meditated until he attained enlightenment, realizing the nature and cause of suffering and the steps necessary to eliminate it.
I emerged from the meditation session and the temple with a new name, a cooler backside, and the seeds of an idea, just in time to avert a search and rescue mission Kelly was about to launch. Right then, what’s this idea? In the story, Sujata was simply a generous girl, kind to an ailing, impoverished homeless man, but her benevolence had an incredible impact on the world as it allowed “Buddha” to reach his fullest potential. So then, if I am to be a Sujata of sorts, I propose a question. What sustenance will allow others to reach their highest potential? There certainly are the basic needs of food, clean water, shelter, safety and health care, but can’t art, music, and innovative ideas also be associative causes for becoming our greater selves? What nectar brings out your beauty? It is my intent to explore the recipe for this metaphorical porridge, and develop a community that endeavors to provide that sustenance. At first, Sujata’s Porridge may be more of a travel journal as I move from Seattle to Melbourne, but I hope in time it will become more than just a log of my reflections.
posted by Dharma Mama at 11:37 PM
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