Ngaqala Ukuqaphela Ukuhlakanipha Kwangempela

NGISENGUMFANYANA omncane, indela engumBuddha yangiqaphela futhi yasikisela ukuba igama lami libe uPanya, okusho “ukuhlakanipha,” ngolimi lwesiThai. Njengoba babengamaBuddha ashisekayo, abazali bami bakujabulela ukuba igama lami lishintshwe ngokufanelekile.

IThailand, lapho ngazalelwa khona eminyakeni engama-60 edlule, iyizwe lapho abantu abangaphezu kwamaphesenti angama-90 bethi bangamaBuddha. UbuBuddha baqanjwa eminyakeni engaba yizi-2 500 edlule eNdiya base busakazekela ezingxenyeni eziningi ze-Asia. UbuBuddha buqokomisa ithemba lokuthile okungcono—ukukhululeka ekuhluphekeni—okufanele kutholakale ngomzamo womuntu ngamunye.

NgokobuBuddha, kukholelwa ukuthi isikhundla somuntu samanje ekuphileni siwumphumela wezenzo (Karma) azenze ekuphileni kwamanje nokwesikhathi esidlule. Kucatshangelwa ukuthi isifiso siyimbangela yakho konke ukuhlupheka, ngakho-ke umgomo uwukususa konke ukufisa. Ukufinyelela lokhu kungase kudinge ukuphila ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, noma ukuphindukuzalwa, kuze kube yilapho umuntu esedlulele ngalé komjikelezo wokuzalwa ngokuphindaphindiwe aye esimweni esibizwa ngokuthi inirvana, kwabaningi esisho ukungaphili.

UGautama Buddha wayezisholo ukuthi wathola iqiniso “ngokukhanyiselwa” kwakhe, futhi amaBuddha akholelwa ukuthi ukulandela izimfundiso zakhe kuyindlela yokuhlakanipha.

Ukukhulela EThailand

Ngazalelwa eBangkok, inhlokodolobha yeThailand. Phakathi neshumi leminyaka ngaphambi kweMpi Yezwe II, ukuphila edolobheni kwakuthule kakhulu kunokuba kunjalo ekomkhulu eliphithizelayo iBangkok namuhla. Olisha, izinqola ezidonswa amahhashi, kanye namabhayisikili ashovwayo anamasondo amathathu kwakuyizinto ezivamile zokuhamba ngalesosikhathi, nakuba kwakukhona nezimoto ezihamba kujantshi namabhasi. Emihumeni yamanzi, noma kumaklong, izikebhe zazisebenza njengezinto zokuhamba.

Iminyaka ethile umkhaya wakithi wawuhlala endlini engasemhumeni wamanzi eyayakhiwe phezu kwezigxobo. Kulezozindawo zedolobha, ukuphila kwabantu abaningi kwakuzungezwe amanzi. Iklong yayisetshenziselwa ukugeza nokuhlanza izitsha nezingubo. Izikebhe zazifika ezitebhisini eziseminyango zithengisa zonke izinhlobo zokudla nezimpahla. Ngisho neposi lalithunyelwa ngesikebhe. Esimweni sezulu esishisayo nesiswakeme, thina bantwana sasijabulela ukubhukuda, ukutshuza, nokudlala imidlalo.

Lapho ngineminyaka eyisithupha, ngaqala ukungena isikole. Imfundo yabaqalayo yayiphoqelekile, ngakho-ke abantwana abaningi basedolobheni njengami babeya esikoleni. Abafana namantombazane ngalesosikhathi babefundiswa emakilasini ahlukene, ngakho-ke kwakungekho ukuhlangana phakathi kobulili obuhlukene. Cishe ukuqomisana kwakungaziwa.

Ngangijabulela imidlalo, kuhlanganise nebhola likanobhutshuzwayo kanye nesibhakela sohlobo lwesiThai, esiwubuciko bokulwa obungavamile obasungulwa eminyakeni engamakhulu edlule. Abalwayo abavunyelwe nje kuphela ukusebenzisa izinqindi ezigqokiswe amagilavu kodwa futhi nezinyawo ezingagqokisiwe, imilenze, amadolo, nezindololwane ekushayaneni nasekukhahlelaneni. Lapho umama ezwa ngokushisekela kwami lomdlalo oyingozi, wangenqabela ukuba ngiqhubeke nawo. Ngakho-ke ngangenela ukukhulisa izinyama.

Lapho ngisemusha, imicimbi ethempelini yayinokuzilibazisa okwakujatshulelwa abantu baseThailand, kokubili abancane nabadala. Imicimbi yayihlanganiswa nemikhosi yenkolo, futhi yayiqoqa izimali zokulondolozwa kwethempeli. Kwakuba khona izixuku ezinomsindo, kanye nabathengisi ababemisa izindlwana zokuthengisa zonke izinhlobo zokudla nokudla okulula emagcekeni ethempeli.

Umbukiso wasesiteji owawuthandwa kakhulu emicimbini kwakuyilikay umbukiso ophathelene namasiko onomculo oqabulayo nenkulumo engalungiselelwanga. Abadlali babegqoka izingubo ezinemibala egqamile futhi babephaqulwa kakhulu ngopowder nerouge. Babegcina izibukeli zihleka kuze kuhlwe. Kulezinsuku, esikhundleni semibukiso eqabulayo ngokuvamile kuba khona amabhayisikobho angaphandle.

Ithonya Lokuqala Lenkolo

Ekuqaleni kosuku ngalunye lwesikole, kwakuba nenkonzo yokumiswa kwefulegi nokuhlatshelelwa kwengoma yesizwe. Ngemva kwalokho ikilasi lalithandaza ngesiPali, ulimi lwenkolo yobuBuddha. Uhlelo lwethu lwezifundo lwaluhlanganisa izimiso nokuziphatha komBuddha; ngaphandle kwalokho sasingatholi ziyalezo ezingakanani zenkolo.

Emakhayeni amaningi amaBuddha, kunealtare elincane elinesithombe sikaBuddha elisetshenziselwa ukuthandaza nokuzindla kwansuku zonke. Lapha kukhanyiswa amakhandlela futhi kushiswe impepho. Imikhaya yesizukulwane samaChina ngokuvamile iba nama-altare engeziwe okukhulekela amadlozi noma okushweleza emimoyeni emibi nakonkulunkulu abahlukahlukene.

Njengoba ekholelwa ukuthi kunokuhle kuzo zonke izinkolo, amaBuddha amukela kalula futhi ahlanganise imiqondo nezenzo anomuzwa wokuthi kulungile futhi kungawasiza ngandlela-thile. Ngenxa yalokho, abantu abaningi eThailand abakhulekeli ethempelini lamaBuddha kuphela kodwa futhi nakwamanye amathempeli amaningi amaChina naweBrahman.

Nakuba umkhaya wakithi wawungagxilile ezinkolweni, ithonya lenkolo lalikhona njalo ekuphileni kwethu. Ngokwesibonelo, izindela ezaziphuce kahle ekhanda futhi zigqoke izingubo ezinde eziphuzi zazifika zizocela umnikelo wabampofu wansuku zonke ngokushesha ngemva kovivi. Zazihamba emgwaqweni zingafakanga zicathulo noma zigwedle isikebhe kuyiklong, zima ukuze abaninikhaya baphake irayisi futhi baphake nokunye ukudla ezitsheni zabo zeminikelo yabampofu.

Kusukela ebuncaneni, ngafundiswa ukuhlonipha izindela zamaBuddha njengalezo ezikhethe ukuphila ngokulingisa uBuddha. Kwakumelwe zibhekwe njengezinokuhlakanipha okukhulu, futhi sasikhuthazwa ukuba sazise imibono nezeluleko zazo.

Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, iBangkok yahlaselwa amabutho asemoyeni. Ngakho-ke umama wangisa ezihlotsheni zakhe kwesinye sezifunda. Njengoba ithempeli lendawo laliseduze, ngajwayelana kakhulu nezindela. Ezinye zazo zazenza futhi zisakaze izithombe zobuBuddha. Ezindongeni zendlu endala yokukhulekela, kwakunezinkulungwane zezithombe ezincane zikaBuddha ezazenziwe ngomsizi oqinile. Iningi lethu esingabafana lalisiza ukuzihlanza. Khona-ke izindela zaziloba kuzo amagama ambalwa asembhalweni wesiKhmer wasendulo futhi zisho amazwi ukuze izithombe zibe isivunulo senhlanhla.

Ngakhangwa umqondo wokuthi ukubophela isithombe esinjalo sikaBuddha entanyeni kungaletha ukuvikeleka engozini futhi kuqinisekise ingcebo. Ngakho-ke ngaqala ukuqokelela izithombe. Ngahlala nezindela ethempelini izinyanga ezimbalwa, futhi phakathi nalesosikhathi, ngafundiswa ukuzindla, ukubikezela inhlanhla, neminye imikhuba yemimoya.

Nakuba abangaphansi kwephesenti elilodwa benani labantu baseThailand bengabamasonto obuKatolika nawamaProthestani, ngangizwile ukuthi amaKristu akholelwa ukuthi umuntu obizwa ngokuthi uJesu unguNkulunkulu nokuthi amaKatolika akhulekela ‘Unina kaNkulunkulu.’ Kodwa, izinkolelo ezinjalo kimi zabonakala zingelona iqiniso. Kwakungenzeka kanjani ukuthi othile owafa esigxotsheni adale umhlaba? Angizange ngikucabangele lokhu njengokuhlakanipha kweqiniso.

Ingozi Ishintsha Ukuphila Kwami

Ngemva kwempi, ngagxila ekufuneni imfundo enhle nasekutholeni umsebenzi ohohela kahle. Ekugcineni ngathola iziqu esikoleni sezentengiselwano futhi ngathola umsebenzi enkampaneni yakwelinye izwe eBangkok. Ngolunye usuku ekuseni ngo-1959, ngiya emsebenzini, isandla sami saphunyuka endaweni yebhasi yokubambelela ngase ngiwa ngomhlane, ngashaya ngekhanda onqenqemeni lomgwaqo. Ababegibele nababehamba phansi bamemeza betshela umshayeli ukuthi amise ibhasi, kodwa kwathi lapho ema eceleni komgwaqo, amasondo amakhulu angemva anginyathela isingezansi. Umgogodla wami nezimbambo ezimbalwa kwaphuka.

Lapho ngiphuma esibhedlela ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisikhombisa, ngangife ukusuka okhalweni kwehle. Umcabango wokungakwazi ukuhamba wangenza ngazizwa ngidumazekile. Njengoba odokotela benganginikanga themba lokululama, ngangifuna ukuzama ezinye izindlela. Umama wangisa enhla nezwe, lapho ngavakashela khona amakhaya amaningi ezindela, “imithola-mpilo,” nezinye izindawo lapho abantu babethi kuyaphulukiswa khona. Njengoba ngangihlangana nodokotela, abelaphi, nezangoma, ngaqala ukufunda imikhuba yabo. Ngathola izincwadi zobuciko bomlingo nokubikezela inhlanhla futhi ngaqala ukuzenza mathupha lezizinto.

Ukuhlangana Nokuhlakanipha Kweqiniso

Ngemva kokuhlala iminyaka emine enhla nezwe, ngaphindela eBangkok. Isimo sami sasingabanga ngcono, kodwa ngangifunde umsebenzi omusha. Abantu babo bonke ubudala babeza futhi bacele ukutshelwa inhlanhla yabo. Ngenza futhi izinhlobo ezithile zezivunulo zenhlanhla, ezinye zazo engangizithengisa ngosizo lwendela.

Khona-ke ngolunye usuku ngo-1968, isithunywa sevangeli saseCanada soFakazi BakaJehova sangivakashela. Lapho sikhuluma ngoJesu Kristu, ngaphetha ngokuthi oFakazi babengenye yezinkolo eziningi “zobuKristu” lezo engangizizonda. Ngaqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli ngokungathi sína ngemva kweminyaka eyisithupha nomunye umbhangqwana woFakazi.

Okwakungithakazelisa ngokukhethekile kwakuyisiprofetho seBhayibheli. Lapho ngiboniswa iziprofetho encwadini yeBhayibheli kaDaniyeli, ikakhulukazi izahluko 7 no-8, kanye nencazelo kaJesu eningiliziwe yezehlakalo nezimo esizibonayo namuhla, ngangazi ukuthi akekho umbikezeli wenhlanhla owayengabikezela izinto ezinjalo. (Mathewu, isahluko 24) Khona-ke lapho ngithola isizathu sokuthi kungani izimo zamanje zihlukile kulokho uMdali ayekuhlosile ekuqaleni nokuthi uwenze kanjani amalungiselelo okuphelisa umonakalo obangelwe yilabo abangamamukeli yena nobukhosi bakhe, kwaba sengathi kususwe inkungu emehlweni ami.

Konke okumayelana nesigijimi seBhayibheli kwakuvumelana ngempela; kwaba sengathi izingcezu ze“jigsaw puzzle” zingena ezindaweni zazo. Ukuhlakanipha komuntu engangikwazisa kangaka kwangifundisa ukubheka uNkulunkulu njengongabalulekile ekuphileni kwethu. Kodwa ngenxa yobufakazi obuqand’ikhanda, ngokusobala uNkulunkulu ngeke akhishwe endabeni. NgeBhayibheli, ngaqaphela ukuthi “ukuqala kokuhlakanipha kungukumesaba uJehova [uNkulunkulu umninimandla onke], nokumazi oNgcwele kungukuqonda.”—IzAga 9:10.

Izibusiso Ezivela Ekuhlakanipheni Kweqiniso

Lapho sengiqinisekile ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu weqiniso neBhayibheli liyiZwi lakhe, umbono wami ngezinto washintsha kakhulu. Ngalandela isibonelo samaKristu okuqala futhi ngaphelisa zonke izincwadi zobuciko bomlingo kanye namakhulu ezithombe zenkolo engangiziqoqe kuyo yonke iminyaka.—IzEnzo 19:18,19.

Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu nolwazi oluqondile ngaye kwaba nomunye umphumela ozuzisayo kimi—ngathanda uJehova njengoMuntu. Ukwazisa ukulunga kwakhe nothando alubonise kubantu kwangenza nganikela ukuphila kwami kuye futhi ngabhapathizwa ngo-1975. Ubuhlobo bomuntu siqu noJehova nabo banginikeza isizathu sokwenza engangikwazi ukuthi kulungile. Futhi ngangimagange ngokutshela abanye ngezindaba ezinhle engase ngizazi.

Lapho ngisiza abanye ukuba babone umehluko phakathi kokuhlakanipha komuntu nokokumesaba uNkulunkulu, okuhlangenwe nakho kwami kwesikhathi esidlule kungibeka esimweni esikahle. Ngibe nelungelo lokusiza abaningana ukuba balandele ukuhlakanipha kweqiniso futhi bamele uJehova. Omunye wabo umama, owabhapathizwa njengoFakazi KaJehova eneminyaka engama-94.

Ukuhlakanipha kweqiniso kukushintshe ngempela ukuphila kwami. Angisaphuthazi ebumnyameni ngokuqondene nokuhlupheka nenjongo yeqiniso yokuphila. Manje nginezimpendulo zemibuzo eyayivamise ukungidida. Ngisho noma ngikhubazekile, ukuphila kwami kunenjongo. Nginethemba nesifiso sokuphila phakade. Akukhona yini ukuhlakanipha kwangempela ukulandela inkambo eletha injabulo nokuphila okunenjongo manje nequkethe ikusasa elihle kangaka? Yeka ukuthi ngijabula kanjani ngokuthi ngiye ngaqonda loluhlobo lokuhlakanipha!—Njengoba ilandiswa uPanya Chayakul.a

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Isithombe ekhasini 22]

AmaBuddha akholelwa ukuthi ukusekela izindela kuyazuzisa

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Ngihlanganyela ukholo lwami nabanye