Dipa Ma: The Daughters of the Buddha are Fearless – Buddhistdoor World

A girl recalled that on a flight from India to the USA, the airplane abruptly encountered an air pocket. Drinks and different objects flew as much as the ceiling because the airplane dived downward, earlier than leveling off. Shocked, the girl screamed in fright. One other lady sitting on the opposite aspect of the aisle gently reached out, touched her hand to consolation her and mentioned: The daughters of the Buddha are usually not afraid of something.

The girl who spoke these phrases of belief to the frightened passenger was Dipa Ma, a lay Buddhist meditation trainer who had lots of expertise with worry and her capacity to beat it.

Born on March 25, 1911 in a village in Bangladesh, her title was Nani Bala Barau. His household commonly practiced Buddhist rituals and celebrated festivals. Though her household doesn’t apply meditation, Nani has nonetheless developed a deep curiosity in Buddhism. Following the standard path of most women in Bangladesh, Nani acquired married when she was 12 years outdated. Happily, her husband, Rajani Ranjan Barua, an engineer twice her age, was a caring, delicate and attentive associate. Every week after their marriage, Rajani left to take up a submit in Burma. His spouse stayed along with her in-laws.

Two years later, Nani was in a position to be part of her husband in Rangoon, the place they hoped to begin a household. Sadly, there have been fertility points and he or she misplaced two infants earlier than giving start to a woman, whom she named Dipa, which means mild. Finally, Nani merely grew to become often called Dipa Ma or Mom of Gentle.

Tragically, in 1957, Dipa Mas’ beloved husband died abruptly. The loss was devastating and the following grief nearly insufferable. She spent months confined to a mattress affected by the pressure and stress of bereavement, barely in a position to present for herself and her daughter. After exhausting all medical options, a physician strongly urged Dipa Ma apply meditation. Intuitively, she felt drawn to the suggestion and organized for a neighbor to take care of her daughter so she might attend a meditation retreat at a Buddhist monastery in Rangoon.

After receiving primary coaching in vipasanna meditation, Dipa Ma started to take a seat with others, discovering that she had a pure affinity for the apply of meditation. In the future, as she was leaving the meditation corridor, she was unaware of a canine within the hallway, which lunged at her, clenching its jaws round her leg. Extremely, Dipa Ma felt no ache, which she attributed to the lingering impact of meditation on her physique and thoughts. Some monks have been in a position to separate Dipa Ma from the canine, and he or she was despatched to an pressing care heart for rabies therapy.

Returning dwelling to recuperate, Dipa Ma started to think about changing into a Buddhist nun. Nevertheless, as a single mom, she acknowledged her duty to her daughter and determined that her religious life ought to be led as the pinnacle of the household. It was an unbelievable determination as a result of she had no position fashions for following the religious path on this approach. She established a day by day apply at dwelling, learning with numerous lecturers. She grew to become more and more proficient in her apply in addition to in educating others.

In 1967, the Burmese authorities ordered all overseas nationals to go away the nation. Though her Buddhist monk associates assured her that they might get an exemption for her to remain within the nation, Dipa Ma opted to go to Calcutta (now Kolkata), the place her daughter would have higher entry to alternatives. social and academic. In Calcutta, she discovered a small one-room condo for herself and her daughter. It was situated above a steel grinding store, had no working water, and solely a charcoal burner on the ground and a rest room they shared with one other household.

Earlier than lengthy, ladies in Calcutta started approaching Dipa Ma for educating meditation, and shortly she was busy educating housewives. Step by step, ladies started to designate Dipa Ma because the patroness of heads of households. By educating ladies, Dipa Made demonstrated that residing as wives and moms was not an impediment to meditation and the religious path. In reality, she typically reminded them: Being a spouse, being a mom, these have been my first lecturers. Dipa Ma supplied them encouragement of their apply and phrases of knowledge like these:

At any time when I’ve alone time, I all the time flip my thoughts inward.

You do not want something to be completely satisfied.

Every little thing is recent and new on a regular basis. Each second is new.

Dwell merely. A quite simple life is nice for all the things. You will see that no pleasure in abundance.

Once I transfer, store or do something, I all the time do it with care. I do know these are issues I’ve to do, however they don’t seem to be issues. Alternatively, I do not spend time chatting, sightseeing, or doing something that I do not contemplate needed in life.

Finally, Dipa Ma had a gradual stream of tourists, each female and male, to her modest residing quarters, all searching for meditation instruction. Guests even got here from different international locations. Within the early Eighties, a number of Westerners who had studied with Dipa Ma invited her to show on the Perception Meditation Society in Massachusetts. At her dwelling in Calcutta, Dipa Ma was often busy educating from early morning till late at night time. When her daughter urged her mom to scale back her availability, Dipa Ma merely replied: They’re hungry for Dharma, so allow them to come.

Dipa Ma died on September 1, 1989, on the age of 78. After his demise, Sharon Salzberg, one in all his Western college students, recalled: Many instances I heard his voice whispering to me, difficult me to stretch out to search out what I used to be actually able to, particularly when it comes to love and compassion. She was an unbelievable mannequin of kindness, the kind that’s born out of nice struggling and constant, fixed remembrance of what is actually essential.

Her affect and instance have been super, and all of the extra extraordinary as a result of she began out as a easy godly mom who wanted one thing to assist her by way of her grief at shedding her associate. At present, his aura of reverence can typically cloud his very human and relatable story. She can be the primary to insist, rightly, that she was like all of us.

Dipa Ma’s Phrases of Knowledge

Bless these round you. Should you bless these round you, it can encourage you to be conscious in each second.

In case your life is in hassle, apply kindness.

Human beings won’t ever resolve all their issues.

The very first thing is to like your self. You can not progress by way of self-doubt and self-hatred. You possibly can solely progress by way of self-love.

Ideas of the previous and the long run waste your time.

This downside you’re having will not be an issue in any respect. It is since you suppose it is mine, Or I’ve one thing to unravel. Do not suppose that approach after which there shall be no downside.

You are able to do no matter you need to do. It is solely your thought that you may’t do it that is holding you again.

Meditation is all the time potential, at any time. You can not separate meditation from life.

No matter your beliefs, ask your self: are you positive? Who says? Why not?

There may be nothing to cling to on this world. ask your self, What can I take with me once I die?

Prepare now! Do not suppose you may do extra later.

Every of us has huge energy. It may be used to assist us and assist others.

Persistence is among the most essential virtues for growing mindfulness and focus.

What’s your intention ? In any motion, bodily, verbal or psychological, the Buddha valued intention. Know your intention in each motion.

Meditation integrates the entire particular person.