Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

http://austms.blogspot.com.au/

13 March  2020

Coronavirus Cash Karma

[The first term holidays of all schools will commence from tomorrow (March 13), stated Minister of Education Dullas Alahapperuma.

The decision to move the term holiday forward has been taken as a measure to prevent parents of students from panicking over the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), stated the Minister at a press conference currently underway.] Adaderana.lk

[As at 11:00 hrs on 12 March 2020, we have 126 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), including 3 deaths, in Australia.] Australian Department of Health

We Australians have NOT panicked except to fight over toilet paper.  To my mind, any manifestation over which we do not feel or think we have control over – is an act of god. Coronavirus at the moment is such a manifestation.

If therefore we Australians with 126 confirmed cases and 3 deaths are not panicking as much as Sri Lankans with 2 confirmed cases and no reported deaths, it must say something about our respective confidence in ourselves to work our respective governments.

The Guardian reports as follows confirming the news most of us heard yesterday:

[By directing three-quarters of the $17.6bn stimulus into corporate coffers, Scott Morrison and his treasurer, Josh Frydenberg,  are betting that the main economic evil of the coronavirus outbreak will be interruptions to the cash flow of businesses.]

As a believing Australian Hindu, I thought it was the return karma for the following:

A few weeks back, SBS reported as follows:

In an attempt to goad Labor’s treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers during Question Time on Thursday, Mr Frydenberg made repeated clichéd references to Hinduism and other Indian religions while criticising the Opposition’s idea of potentially pursuing a New Zealand-style “wellbeing budget”.

“[Labor] are inspired by their spiritual leader, the member for Rankin [Jim Chalmers],” Mr Frydenberg said while making hand gestures used during meditation.

 “I was thinking yesterday, as the member for Rankin, [came] into the chamber fresh from his Ashram deep in the mountains of the Himalayas … barefoot into the chamber, robes flowing, incense burning, beads in one hand, wellbeing budget in the other, I thought to myself: ‘[what] yoga position the member for Rankin would assume … to deliver the first wellbeing budget?’”

The treasurer went on to name a series of yoga poses.

Video footage of the Question Time antics shows Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Nationals leader Michael McCormack and other senior Coalition figures laughing during Mr Frydenberg’s tirade]

In the case of stockpiling toilet tissue, to some the two  may seem to be totally unconnected. To a simple minded Australian, both are primarily about personal hygiene. The cash stimulus package promised by the Australian Government is to boost the self-confidence of Australians – so we would not go into depression and isolate ourselves from ‘normal’ life.

There is a story that might help appreciate how the mind can expand or shrink a problem. It’s about the way folks in a village affected by Cholera  abandoned themselves. The head of the village invoked Mother Durga to help protect the villagers from Cholera-deaths. Mother promises to save from Cholera. When Mother left the village there were quite a few deaths. When asked Mother states that not one happened due to Cholera but all deaths were due to fear.

Sri Lankan government seems to be panicking and this confirms fear. Such fear may be the karma due to close ties with China – as if China is living in Sri Lanka – as an owner.

It matters not which pathway we follow to believe. Without belief we get brainwashed easily by lies. With belief our we never die. We live through others as their heritage.