Saturday, April 12, 2014

Don't Give Up

8th International Tipitaka Chanting in Bodh-Gaya in 2012

This is a beautiful video of the International Tipitaka Chanting in Bodh-Gaya in 2012. I was at there for the 2013 event and it was fantastic to see monks from various countries taking their turns to chant books from the Tipitaka. The top of the MahaBodhi stupa had also been gilded with 200kg of gold just a few months before that, so that was also a great sight. I understand the 2014 event will be on an even grander scale as several Burmese Tipitakadharas will be present. These are monks who have memorised the entire or almost the entire Tipitaka by heart! I think this annual event is playing a significant role in reviving Buddhism in

India

. So if you are planning your pilgrimage this year, it would be a good idea to coincide with the event. Lee Yu Ban

8th International Tripitaka Chanting at Bodhgaya

A great Buddhist event, bringing together traditions of 10 countries.

YOUTUbe.

Friday, April 11, 2014

..but I am closer

Dalai Lama on Warm-heartedness

His Holiness talks about his commitment to promote warm-heartedness in a clip from his conversation with Rajiv Mehrotra for Doordarshan National TV of India originally broadcast on March 31st, 2009.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=120892614615393

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Be Wise

Mantra in Theravadin Buddhism

Often mantra is thought of as a part of later Mahayana or Vajrayana Buddhism, as opposed to the Theravadin Buddhism of South and South East Asia. However chanting is a very important part of practice in the Theravada tradition.

In Living Buddhist Masters, Jack Kornfield wrote:

Happiness

What are the 3 kinds of Buddhist Gifts?

Three kinds of gift are mentioned in Buddhism, namely:

1: Amisa dāna: The gift of material things,
2: Abhaya dāna: The fearless gift of life,
3: Dhamma dāna: The gift of real Truth.