Human Rights ??

Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10 December.

The date was chosen to honor the United Nations General Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global enunciation of human rights. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Rights_Day)

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights had 30 basic human rights as they are in http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/

This day is being observed in many cities across the globe. (http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Day2011/Pages/HRD2011.aspx)

I would like to raise the issue of violation of human rights in China as I feel that's where the torture of people by its own govt. is at its peak and no media has been reporting about it. I really don't know if you are aware of the human organ harvesting that happens in China (http://organharvestinvestigation.net/). This is a case where the Chinese regime itself sells Human organs globally at high prices; and these organs are taken from tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners who are in Jails and labour camps. The United Nations and Human Roghts organizations have been documenting the brutal persecution every year since 1999. (http://faluninfo.net/article/1060/).

Many world Govts. have been raising their voice against the persecution and for human rights. The Spanish National Court found guilty 5 top Chinese regime leaders for genocide and torture against Falun Gong in November 2009. The US House of Representatives voted 422 to 1 on House Resolution 605 in March 2010 calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

This is a persecution of the basic values that make us human. We all deserve fundamental Human Rights. Around the world, practitioners and supporters of Falun Gong continue their peaceful appeal. A unified global opinion can end the brutally inhumane persecution of Falun Dafa in China.

We look at China as the next super-power and what not. We also talk about world peace. With China being one of the major portions of the world (both geographically and population wise), how can world peace be achieved with such gangster regime torturing its own people to grow

A call for strong support.

Raise your voice :)

A Question... '?'

Its now been very long and many times: I have been asked "what are you doing now that's related to 4 years of your studying engineering?"

I hope you understand what it means and how I should feel...!

I have nothing but one question to everyone else:
"YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AS A HUMAN BEING AND LIVED FOR SO MANY YEARS. HAVE YOU BEEN FULFILLING YOUR PURPOSE ???"

Perhaps, I may get philosophical, but then what is the journey of life all about?

Everyone have their reasons and understandings. I would like to share my understanding:
Human life is about self-realization, about letting go attachments, about enlightening to the truth which is not evident with the present concepts of science n technology. Life is not only about money, or success or fantastic family life.
The biggest notion that people have developed today i feel is "what one believes is right, is right!" I sincerely understand now that this is very limited; as 'what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong.' How could a  mere human's mere belief/thought change the law of the universe?

"What is hurt?"

A friend today asked me: “What is hurt? Why does someone feel hurt?”

We were all born without any notions and knowledge about various feelings we have today. It was always taught and children even today LEARN that one should feel bad when something goes wrong, that hurt is bad, that pain is not-good. A child is taught to cry when s/he falls down, etc. You may not agree with me, but you have to look at the world with a different lens, without the notions, after unlearning...

Things changed when I came across Falun Dafa, a wonderful cultivation practice for the mind and body. Perspective changed every time I read the Zhuan Falun (http://www.falundafa.org/book/eng/zflus.html). I came to understand that pain is not something bad. It’s just the karmic cycle and one has to let go of attachments to not feel hurt.

A short tempered me, an introvert me, a put-the-blame-on-someone-else me, today has changed. Core values for me today are Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. Today, when something happens, when I feel not-so-good, then, it’s time for me to look within and let go of some attachment that is the reason for this hurt of pain.

Let me give an example: I used to feel very offended and embarrassed when someone bullied me or insulted me or scolded me in front of others. I felt like taking revenge. When I looked within, I saw the attachment to self-esteem, I saw ego, I saw an attachment that said I-am-the-best, or I-know-it-all, or who-are-you-to show-me-the-right, etc. I had to let go. And trust me, once the attachment is gone, it makes no difference at all. The smile on my face even when someone is trying to put me down actually surprises everyone these days.

It’s not that I ignore the hurt or overlook the pain, it’s that it doesn’t exist. And once you let go and look back, it will all seem silly.  After all, an eye for an eye will kill the whole world. One has to fundamentally change one’s conventional thinking. Otherwise the truth of the universe will forever remain a mystery and everyday people will forever crawl within the boundaries delimited by their own ignorance. (http://www.falundafa.org/book/eng/lecture0.html) 

I wondered... as I saw students write a placement test

It’s about 12:40pm and I am now at SJBIT (an engineering college at Bangalore) accompanying my students from SBM Jain College of Engineering (that’s where I work-part time!). About 550 engineering students from 7 colleges are writing their written test for getting a job at Subex, who said that they will take only about 100 freshers across the country this year.

I look at the process and wonder: we have deviated so much from the value systems that we used to follow and have materialized to a greater extent that TRUST, though being a very important factor for anything in life has been defeated by the post natally conceived notions of survival of fittest and competency. Phew!

I wonder: for about 100 requirements, thousands of resumes are reviewed, thousands write exams, hundreds are interviewed, etc... What’s the budget of the entire process? That’s not important now though! I don’t see where the individual’s moral values are checked and considered. Its all skills and skills and skills.

I believe and understand that moral values are what determine the character of a person and not money or fame. I would like to quote Mr. Li Hongzhi here: “No matter how the human moral standard changes, this characteristic of the universe remains unchanged, and it is the sole criterion that distinguishes good people from bad people. . . As a human being, you are a good person only if you can follow this universe’s characteristic of Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance). A person who deviates from this characteristic is truly a bad person. In the workplace or in society, some people may say that you are bad, yet you may not necessarily be bad. Some people may say that you are good, but you may not really be good.”

We all know that skills can be taught and developed; but moral values need to be cultivated. Where have we forgotten our values amidst this cut throat competition where we are prepared to do anything to gain something?! We have now been living with so many reasons that give us temporary happiness that we have forgotten true bliss. I guess most of us who have got the time to spend with ourselves have had this thought occur at least once: “Am I really happy? Am I actually satisfied? Is there an end to this race?” But again, next morning, we are all running the same race.

I will close with this famous experiment and leave you with a thought:

A group of scientists placed 5 monkeys in a cage and in the middle, a ladder with bananas on the top. Every time a monkey went up the ladder, the scientists soaked the rest of the monkeys with cold water. (The monkeys don’t really enjoy cold water.) After a while, every time a monkey went up the ladder, the others beat up the one on the ladder. After some time, no monkey dared to go up regardless of the temptation. The scientists then decided to substitute one of the monkeys. The first thing this new monkey did was to go up the ladder. Immediately the other monkeys beat him up. After several beatings, the new member learned not to climb the ladder even though he never knew why. A 2^nd monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The 1^st monkey participated on beating the second monkey. Similarly, all the 5 monkeys were replaced. What was left was a group of 5 monkeys that even though never received a cold shower, continued to beat up any monkey who attempted to climb the ladder. If it was possible to ask the monkeys why they would beat up all those who attempted to go up the ladder... I bet the answer would be “I don’t know – that’s how things are done around here.”

Does it sound familiar?