When we are inside Nepal for a long time, some times we may not see the solutions to our problems here as clearly as we could, from outside.

Last month, I was on a personal pilgrimage to neighboring India in Varanasi (Kashi) and Bodh Gaya. While traveling, I pondered upon the situation of Nepal from India. Here are some of the thoughts I wrote up there:

1) Indians are busy with their lives, like the rest of the world. All they seem to want is to become prosperous. While many Nepalis are obsessed with Indian interference, we have to realize this simple fact that everyone loves prosperity. Moral of the story for us is : lets concentrate on becoming prosperous (along with our neighbors).

2) One man Siddhartha Gautam Buddha, nearly 2600 years ago taught such lessons that people are still following today. When are we here in Nepal learn that we too could be someone as provoking as him? When are we willing to stop following like sheep and start to lead on our own paths like Buddha did?

3) Buddha taught the middle way. We Nepalis seem to be pulled by right-wing and Left-wing extremists  Time to bring Nepalis back to the middle way, the ‘bibeksheel’ way where dignity, tolerance, truth, integrity, non-violence rules and where pragmatism over-rules ideologies.

5) Our addiction to ‘material wealth’ is clouding our life. I see this much in India and here in Nepal. What matters is to be happy inside. Why are we not in a competition to bring  a ‘smile’ in people’s lives ? Look at a child, you almost need nothing but another smile or love, to brin a smile into her. Lets refocus on Gross National Happiness instead of material progress alone. Lets rate our success in happiness and prosperity than GDP/material wealth index.

6) Ethical entrepreneurship around “Religion” holds much promise. Religion is webbed into the fabric of Nepali lives. how can we build religion and spirituality into becoming a moral force in Nepal while simultaneously building prosperity? The answer may lie in a delicate balance between making Nepal a Hindu/ Buddhist center of spiritual and religious activities and reaping the benefits of it through “ethical entrepreneurship”.