Promo Seeking the Truth

8/2/2019 Promo Seeking the Truth

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Valter Giraudo

SEEKING THE TRUTHSEEKING THE TRUTH

Translated by Valter GiraudoCorrected and supervised by Serenella Veronese

Edizioni Miele


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This is devoted to all those people who,

during their life, spend time searching forthe truth and then themselves.

Thanks to my Masters: Daisaku Ikeda,Josei Toda, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi eNichiren Daishonin,eternal sources of aware-

ness.

A dedication and a special thanks to mywife Laura - the woman that I love and thatis my first fan - and my children Giorgia andNicol, manifestations of universal love.

One special thanks for my dear friendsTony and Mauro, who incited me to makethis extraordinary experience. Not the leastof my brothers: Sergio - for having backedme on the path of Buddhism - and Andy - forhaving always supported me even in themost difficult moments.

Thanks also to my parents, all theirefforts and of having always believed in me.

A big thank you for this wonderfuloccasion to editor Barbara Miele.


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Dream

If one dreams aloneit is only a dream

that will vanish on waking.But if many dream together

it will be the beginning of a new reality.

Valter Giraudo

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PROLOGUE

In life there are many complex situations,and sometimes things do not go just the waywe had hoped. Buddhism teaches that thereis an internal cause, so we are in life to facea certain problem, but it explains that the

difficulties help to grow and that we cantransform any problem life presents to us.Happiness is the victory in the fight againstthe difficulties and sufferings. We are free tochoose our path: Buddhism calls to takeresponsibility for their own lives and explains

that this has an immediate and comprehen-sive also on our family, friends and society.As far as we feel crushed by circumstancesor in perpetual conflict, thanks to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo it is possible to influencepositively.

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Difficulties make us strong;wisdom comes from problems;

sorrows increase compassion for others;

people who have suffered mostmay become happier.

The key question for us human beings is toovercome the illusions of life and death thatare the basis for all the other illusions and

affect each other attitude, in relation to ourconcept of life and death we can live in har-mony with the law of life or not, take genuinesatisfaction even when we face any difficul-ty, including death, or be unable to escapefrom a spiral of fear and dissatisfaction.

The Buddhism teaches that we should leaveour small self and rely on our larger self.Usually, the Buddhism emphasizes the con-cept of impermanence. To base our life onthe small self - that is chasing the changingand impermanent phenomena and remainimprisoned in the illusions and desires - isdistressing, therefore, Buddhism teachesthat we should win this egocentric tendency,without having to withdraw to live as hermitsdenying our living and giving up the role andposition we have in society.Since receiving the essential nature of exis-

tence, the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishoninteaches us to live basing on our larger self,so that our actions accord with the eternaland immutable law that embraces andincludes all the phenomena of our worldcharacterized by impermanence. Living

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basing upon the larger self means to breakthe attachment to the inferior ego and takeup our lives, free from the influence of

changing phenomena and supported by astrong independence and a living force thatare only one living with the eternal andimmutable Law.The aim of Buddhism is the Enlightenment,the awakening to the awareness of life as it

is, knowing the way to grasp its true shape.Enlightenment: it seems at first sight a bigword that seems to hover over the horizon ofan ordinary person. Yet we imagine it as anatural tendency of life, all life, so ... foreveryone!

Buddhism is not an ideology, a doctrine ofintellectual or moral tenets which dispensesprepackaged dogmas and truth it: is thegreatest wisdom experienced of a humanbeing expressed in a precise teaching, madeavailable to everybody by the compassion ofNichiren Daishonin, because each oneexpresses his own potential and lives wellboth inside and outside of himself.In the book World of Gosho Ikeda said thatBuddhism is a teaching that allows eachindividual, starting as he is, to manifest hisown innate Buddha nature, and that only

through this evolution of his individual lifecan find solutions to the more complex socialproblems. It is in relation to this centrality ofthe human being that Ikeda speaks of Buddhist humanism, another way ofexpressing the concept of practice of

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human revolution. The Buddhist humanism did root not in aparticular system of beliefs, it states that

every individual can realize his human revo-lution cultivating his inherent Buddhanature. The term Buddha nature refers toa heart awakened to the Mystic Law. (D.Ikeda World of Gosho, vol. 1, page 4 - EdEsperia Italian Edition).


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toward the fifteen years I lost sight of him.At that time I did not mix with the people ofmy place. In fact, since I began lost affection

for technical institute I lost the contact withTony and all the friends of the little town.One can say that from then my life changed.Occasionally I used to meet my old friends,but I was a stranger to all the events of theold gang that continued his life away from

my attention.It was when I attended the university that ibroke off definitely any kind of relationshipwith them.In fact, that next time I moved to Milan andI had no more news about Tony and anyone

else.So my life went on with other people, otherfriends and experiences. The ties that resistedwith my hometown were kept alive for sometime by some friend from the technical insti-tute, and of course with my family, the onlythat I call every time I returned to my roots.

When I finished my studies, I returned toVenasca in Varaita Valley, my hometown,and I learned about Tony.It was said that Tony had some very unusu-al behaviour, which had become quite

strange in his habits, almost to the point ofmadness!This rumor was confirmed to me by all theother fellows in the country which I hadbegun to attend again.They told me that since several months they

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had not seen him around. More precisely,the day following the one on which he losthis job.

Those who had gone to visit his home hadfound him sitting down to meditate and talkfrom the top of his stone, a huge boulderbehind his house, on which he sat all the dayand did not move it seemed from a longtime.

There were rumors that the radical changein his life, due to the sudden loss of job, hadplaced him in front of many doubts andquestions. Right there, sitting on that rock,almost to dominate the horizon, he wantedto meditate and seek the truth about life. He

wanted to find answers to all the questionsthat dominated his mind.

Why?

This simple word, of immeasurable power, isthe secret of truth. Whenever it is pro-nounced, brings forth in us, rational beings,a mental movement of enormous entity. Itsthe keyword that drives us to search for theorigin of everything. It is this spirit of ongo-

ing research that allows us to realize ourHuman Revolution, our inner growth.Unfortunately, we are used to identify the good with anything that causes physicaland / or mental pleasure and that does notinfringe anothers being. On the contrary, we

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assimilate the evil everything that pro-duces pain in every sense.This thought may seem reasonable, but it is

not the absolute truth. Who can say, withouta shadow of reasonable doubt, what is goodand what is evil, what is right and what iswrong?!Then, frankly, if we seek only the truth withour mental capacities, this research will be

limited. To go beyond our limits, we need ameans: the spiritual search and then faith.

When reason is pushed to the end,when the courage of questionis exercised without savings,

without stopping in front of any obstacle,here it is open an extraordinary space

for the meeting with faith.

One reason too confident, on ideological rea-son, becomes violent and totalitarian. A faiththat makes no room for doubt, a believer whodoes not want to be the poor atheist whostrives every day to start to believe, couldmake his faith a comfortable reassurance.So if faith and reason come together, acceptthe fight and the passion, so open to the

individual growth and the discovery of truth.I was sure I knew that these concepts werethe basis for all growth. I was also consciousof the importance of transmitting them toothers, especially to Tony in this particularmoment.

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So one day I decided to visit him in person,to see how he went through. Honestly I wasparticularly intrigued by all those rumors

about him. I wanted to see what was reallyup to. And you know that the curiosity isvery powerful: it moves also the mountains!When I appeared in front of him, I found himjust sitting on a huge gray stone, one meterhigh, placed behind his house, opposite the

grove. He seemed intent on an Indian gurumeditation. Indeed, he looked away, as if hisbody was there on that rock, but his mind,his spirit, they were nowhere.He was so absorbed in himself, that he did-nt realize my visit until I decided I had

observed him enough, in silence and at asafe distance.Hello Tony! How long havent we seen! Howare you? I asked going up to him.Tony jumped. I had obviously frightenedhim. He should more than just deep inthought.Who the hell is it?!? Exclaimed in a trem-bling voice Oooh, Valter, I have not heardyou coming! Are you back at last? Wherehave you been all this time?Yes, I finished my studies, so now Im backhome. I graduated in Milan. Now, Im here for

a taste of well-earned rest before plunginginto the world of work.Well well, so now well see you more fre-quently! Tony said, smiling.So how are you doing here? What are youdoing? I asked to see a bit more of his life.

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Now nothing special, I worked in a factorybut Im unemployed, so here I am!Well, two of us to be out of work... I said,

trying to defuse.He looked at me and nodded his head andmaking joint smile.I heard you spend lot of time sitting there.But why? I asked curiously.I had not found another way, perhaps softer,

to start that speech. I knew it was not thebest way, but sometimes it is better to bedirect.Oh, its nothing special. I like being outsideand get some air and meditate. Tony said,looking angelic.

Meditating? How long time you meditate?Why you have change? You always been anatheist without belief and without spiritualinterests.You know... when you lose everything andyou feel a failure, it is time to seekanswers.And you think you find them there, perchedon a big rock?Even the Buddha Shakyamuni sat and pon-dered long struggling an asceticism way tofind his answers. As you are Buddhist youshould know ...

Sure, but I also know that asceticism is nothelpful. Its important to seek the middleway. But you know what is the meaning asbeing ascetic?I know very well the meaning of the word asceticism! It derived from the word

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asceticism (from the greek askesis, exercise from askeo or I practice.).Asceticism is the spiritual doctrine that

preaches detachment from world events,from the passions and instincts through thepractice of isolation, meditation, prayer andfasting. Through asceticism the man leavesthe superfluous to concentrate on his owninteriority and spirituality.

Good. Then you will know that Shakyamunihas abandoned that route because it led tonothing. Then he lit up and preached themiddle way. I said with a resolute tone.It depends on your point of view He reaf-firmed.

Certainly! However, we shall see better andfinally Ill explain a little more. Ill come backwith a little more time to discuss the issue.Okay, okay. Its anytime. So I am here. Hesaid in a tone almost absent.I did not think he of the most interested inthe speech, almost as if hes the only choicewas possible choice was his. And surely it isthe best.To break that moment of embarrassment, Itried to change the subject.And what are you doing tonight? Come tothe same old bar and then lets do some-

thing?I dont know... said while poking herhand into the pocket of his trousers.He pulled out a packet of handkerchiefs,took out one and blew gently.Well see... he said after finishing what

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seemed a delicate operation on his face.Come on, I went on a purpose to warn youthat tonight I make my debut in society. I

said ironically. There will be all our friends,you can not miss!Maybe Ill see you there He said as Ipulled the car keys from my jeans pocket.Okay, okay, its OK I said Let me go now,see you tonight. The meeting is at 09:00

p.m. Bye.Bye He replied, raising his hand in greet-ing See you.That evening I arrived in time at the estab-lished bar, our usual old bar, the only onein the country, of course.

It seemed that I had never gone away frommy town: the bar was always the same, nochanges had occurred in all those years.Maybe it was refreshed with paint, but noth-ing more.They were all waiting for me, even some oldfriends that I had not reviewed yet.After several minutes spent to greet eachother and evoke some old image of our mem-ory, I realized that Tony had not arrived yet.I sand to the others, but no one seemed sur-prised, indeed, they would be surprised oth-erwise.

Definitely he wont come.Hes become a bit strange and unsocial,since he lost his job.He probably wants to become an Indianguru!These and others were the considerations

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about him and his behaviour.Its a problem of mentality, unfortunately ...In fact, if an ascetic in India is considered

the highest expression of man in his eternalquest for immortality, in the West is seen asa misfit who, with his presence underminesand challenges the foundations of social lifewith all its inherent needs, habits and con-ventions. And the comments of my old

friends confirmed this western view.I tried in vain to make them understand thatthere are other realities, other thoughts,other philosophies and other ways of living.I was labeled as the usual feel-goodBuddhist!

I was so convinced about the idea that it wasuseless to go even further and that Tony did-nt start up, I decided to enjoy myself withthe others without worring.It was a quiet evening, a Friday night unpre-tentious, like many others spent in the redis-covery of my little town and my friends ofthe post.The next day I was together with a friend ofmine, an old school mate, one of those withwhom I was more in touch during his univer-sity. He had called me because, he heard ofmy coming back and wanted to organize a

dinner or something with all the other schoolfriends, had an appointment at the bar in thecenter of Saluzzo, the legendary meetingplace of that period, the meeting point whenwe were students.So I met with my friends, those whose need

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was not great welcome ceremonies as theywere all people who for same reason I hadnever disappeared from, although I had

lived for years in another city.Soon I was involved in several conversa-tions, and with glass of beer in my hand Ibegan to talk about degrees obtained by thisand that stages to do and people perpetuallymired in lagging behind in higher education.

It was in the midst of that beautiful discus-sion that I remembered Tony, sitting on thestone in front of his beautiful grove behindthe house, with the blank vacant stare.I noticed my overall performance in thosethoughts when Laura gave me a nudge on

the arm, criticizing me for not havinganswered your question so serious.That same evening we met right at Lauras:we decided to the well-known dinner at herhouse.Later, as established, we all went to see Paulplaying in a small remote club out of town, oral least they friends described it. For me it wasindifferent as I came several kilometers fromoutside the city and that I went all over suchon out of way place since when I used thepublic transport every morning, the famousmorning bus that took us provincial students

to the high school in the center of Saluzzo.We spent all the night to listen to Paul andhis other cronies playing, all crazy abouttheir jazz, blues and various stuff, and thento discuss how alienating playing music likethat in a city like ours.

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Was then I decided that night would be oversoon. In fact, at about half past one I wenthome frustrated that company.

Soon I was already on the way home, in thegreen fields familiar to me that seemeddrowning in the fog that crushed to theground under the heavy rain.

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