TATHĀGATA - A Translation by Bhante Punnaji

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNEIfgkvVvE&feature=youtu.be

Bodhi Tree was planted by Obama and Modhi in New Dehli, India.

25 January 2015.

Ayoghara Jataka

Dhammo have rakkhati Dhammacāriṁ,
Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahāti,
Esānisaṁso Dhamme suciṇṇe,
Na duggatiṁ gacchati Dhammacārī.

The Dhamma protects the one who lives by the Dhamma,
The Dhamma well practised brings happiness,
This is the advantage of the Dhamma well practised,
He who lives by the Dhamma does not go to a bad destination

Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh: Only love can save us from climate change

Leading spiritual teacher warns that if people cannot save themselves from their own suffering, how can they be expected to worry about the plight of Mother Earth

Jo Confino Guardian Professional, Monday 21 January 2013

Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the world's leading spiritual teachers, is a man at great peace even as he predicts the possible collapse of civilisation within 100 years as a result of runaway climate change.

The 86-year-old Vietnamese monk, who has hundreds of thousands of followers around the world, believes the reason most people are not responding to the threat of global warming, despite overwhelming scientific evidence, is that they are unable to save themselves from their own personal suffering, never mind worry about the plight of Mother Earth.

Thay, as he is known, says it is possible to be at peace if you pierce through our false reality, which is based on the idea of life and death, to touch the ultimate dimension in Buddhist thinking, in which energy cannot be created or destroyed.

By recognising the inter-connectedness of all life, we can move beyond the idea that we are separate selves and expand our compassion and love in such a way that we take action to protect the Earth.

"Protestant" Buddhism

What It Is; What It Isn't By Barbara O'Brien

You may stumble into the term "Protestant Buddhism," especially on the Web. If you don't know what that means, don't feel left out. There are lots of people using the term today who don't know what it means, either.

In the context of a lot of current Buddhist criticism, "Protestant Buddhism" appears to refer to a tepid western approximation of Buddhism, practiced mostly by upper-income whites, and characterized by an emphasis on self-improvement and rigidly enforced niceness. But that's not what the term originally meant.

10 Steps to being a “Good” Convert Buddhist

by Justin Whitaker, Patheos.com, December 14, 2014

San Francisco, CA (USA) -- Many people who have ‘shopped around’ to various Buddhist groups have encountered some uncomfortable moments, “obstacles”, what feels like weird rituals or stuffy dogmas, odd teacher-student relationships (subservience, etc), and so on.

And then those folks go online, or if you meet them in person will tell face to face, that “Zen people are weird because….” or “I just could never do Tibetan Buddhism because…” or “Theravadins are so…” And out comes a litany of narrow-minded prejudices against a whole tradition or culture based on one or two experiences. Or a wiser and more tempered person will note that it is only based on a limited experience, “but still…” And then claims about the finer points of Buddhism follow and too often a completely cerebral and too often useless conversation ensues.

So. Just (mostly) for fun.
Here are some pointers on how to be a good convert Buddhist:

Characteristic Of Right Speech

Speech is an action that living beings perform as they must communicate with each other. Communication is very important as they live in social groups. Without it, or with bad or wrong communication, society can be messed up. Speech can be a dangerous weapon as it can harm people far and near. As it is so important, how can we perform right speech, then? The Buddha advised his disciples about right speech, saying, in Pancaka Nipata Anguttara Nikaya, “Behold monks, right speech always consists of 5 characteristics as follows;

Something To Lighten up your Day Part 9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiouJsnYytI

Lean On Me | Playing For Change | Song Around The World

Published on Jan 19, 2015

We're proud to present a brand new Song Around The World, "Lean On Me", for The Art of Saving a Life campaign! The support of our Playing For Change global family just goes to show the amazing impact art can have on people everywhere. Enjoy this video and join us in sharing all of the art created in this effort to improve children’s health around the world!

Should Meditation Be Included In the Education of Our Youth? (Study)

At first glance, Quiet Time – a stress reduction meditation strategy used in several San Francisco middle and high schools, – looks like something out of the om-chanting 1960s. Twice daily, a gong sounds in the classroom and rowdy adolescents, who normally can’t sit still for 10 seconds, shut their eyes and try to clear their minds.

The practice of meditation in schools deserves serious attention from parents and policymakers. An impressive array of studies shows that integrating meditation into a school’s daily routine can markedly improve the lives of students. If San Francisco schools Superintendent Richard Carranza has his way, Quiet Time could well spread citywide.