Buddha Purnima: Gen Z highlights how Buddha's principles resonate with them

For centuries Gautama Buddharsquos teachings on compassion mindfulness and detachment have inspired countless individuals around the world Beyond religious observations and in a society struggling with senseless violence millions often turn to Buddhist philosophy in pursuit of inner peace and solaceEvery year people celebrate Buddha Purnima or Gautam Buddharsquos birthday during the month of Vaishaka This year it is being observed on May 12 today While many people may not be aware of the intricacies of Buddhist philosophies the fundamental questions around identity and purpose are enduring that our contemporary urban societies arenrsquot designed to resolveIn their quest of navigating the anxieties and stressors of urban livelihood even Gen Z are adapting practical lessons for modern lives from ancient wisdom Mindfulness is not restricted to a trend anymore it is a philosophy that permeates every aspect of life and the significance of compassion when people can engage in hateful behaviour anonymously has never been moreThis Buddha Purnima midday dives into how GenerationZ or GenZ as they are popularly called are finding relevance and resonance with through surprising and meaningful ways in Buddhas teachings as they navigate the pressures of social media mental health challenges and the search for purposeldquoWe forget that everything ndash our thoughts moods even the roles we play ndash is always changingrdquoThe more I actually pay attention to myself the less I feel like theres one solid merdquo admits social media manager B Pradheeksha She contrasts the Buddhist understanding of the fluid self with the contemporary mindset of establishing and maintaining a fixed identity ldquoIn this world where everyonersquos trying to lsquofigure themselves outrsquo we forget that everything ndash our thoughts moods even the roles we play ndash is always changing Theres no real fixed identity Who I am today is because of what happened yesterday But how often do we just sit with ourselves and ask What do I really want What truly matters to me beyond all the noise Were always chasing whatrsquos outside looking outward instead of inwardrdquo she addsSo how does the 27yearold navigate it all ldquoMindfulness for me itrsquos like a pause button It lets me watch everything happen without needing to cling to it or panic And when we start to really see our actions we begin to take responsibility not because we have to but from a calm place And when we act from that space life just feels more right not just for us but for everyone around usrdquo she sharesPradheeksha recalls her journey of encountering Buddhist wisdom on Facebook Everyone at some point goes through that Who am I What am I doing here thing right For me that existential crisis hit when I was around 15 I started questioning everything ndash my feelings my thoughts what I was doing even the people around me It was a need to understand What is all of this I wanted to identify what I was feeling to put it in categories and make sense of itrdquo This need spiralled into her trying to figure out where everything inside her came from Luckily my parents gave her internet access and she stumbled into it She highlights ldquoWhen you search for quiet or stillness online it almost always shows you Buddha Back then Facebook was full of Buddha quotes often the same ones over and over Thats where it started for me From there I went deeper ndash old teachings blogs vlogs books And slowly those heavy questions started to get answers One thing Ive realised whether its the internet or ancient philosophy the answer to your question probably existed way before you did You just have to ask the right one to find the piece that fitslsquoI truly believe everything is connectedrsquoGraphic designer Rudesh Dangre proclaims ldquoFor me following Buddha isnt just about therapy meditation or following some trendrdquo The 27yearold tells us that he has grown up with Buddhist teachings but isnrsquot inclined towards traditional practices ldquoI come from a Buddhist background and Irsquove been connected to these teachings since childhood Still I donrsquot sit in long prayers or read a lot of booksmdashIm not that kind of followerrdquoDangrersquos understanding of Buddhist teachings is practical and focused on ethical conduct rather than rigorous religious practices ldquoWhat Irsquove learned from Buddha is simple live a simple life donrsquot lie be humble help othersmdashjust trying to be a good human being you know I see it a lot through the lens of karma I truly believe everything is connectedmdashif you do something good good comes back to you And when good things happen it really brings me peace from within Thats how Buddhas way has shaped me and how I see thingsrdquoThe 27yearold has had his share of struggles with stress and anxiety ldquoIts not like Ive got it all figured out I canrsquot always control my emotions which is where mindfulness can be helpful It isnrsquot easy to achieve and itrsquos not a shortcut But I believe the path is there It just takes practice and a whole lot of patiencerdquo he concludeslsquoBuddhism spread because there was a need for compassion in societyrsquoIn a world that can sometimes feel competitive or even harsh creative strategist Harshita Chintapalli believes the role of compassionmdasha central aspect of Buddhist philosophy is immense ldquoI really feel like Buddhism spread across the world because there was a need for compassion in society back then and honestly thats why coming back to it feels so relaxing and reassuring now Its so easy to get caught up in anger and hate these days but when I meditate it gives me that space to just be with my thoughts and process thingsrdquo For Chintapalli a big part of it is recognising that need for compassion ndash both for herself when she is struggling and for others especially in online spaces where things can get really competitive and sometimes even cruelrdquo she sharesWhen asked which of Buddharsquos core ideas resonate with her the 23yearold explains ldquoWhile I havent followed Buddhism religiously meditation has been a constant for me since my teens and thats where my perspective comes from The core of what Ive learned is about lsquothe purposersquondash really understanding yourself your present and even your past almost to the point where you see yourself as a tool that can contribute to humanity Ideas like interconnectedness definitely resonate with that sense of purpose making you feel like your actions matter in a bigger picture And that inner peace you find through meditation It gives you a clearer lens to see that purpose and navigate the search for meaningrdquoatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params