Thubten Chodron: Life is like sowing seeds, not in our control

by Sunitha Rao R,TNN | Dec 16, 2015 BENGALURU, India -- "Life is like sprinkling seeds. You don't know which ones will blossom into beautiful flowers, as their growth depends on factors like soil and water.That's beyond one's control." Succinct and profound, the words of Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron effectively summed up the dichotomy between human efforts and reality. A Chicago-born history teacher who got ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1975, Chodron is popular for her practical explanations on applying Buddhist teachings in daily life. In Bengaluru on Tuesday, she spoke on `dealing with situations when they fall apart'.

Ordain your mind

Michael Moriarty: Buddhist monk believed in social justice

by Jessica Inman, Orlando Sentinel, Dec 16, 2015 Orlando, FL (USA) -- Michael Moriarty was a Soto Zen Buddhist monk and a member of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida. At 74, he was deemed mature enough to become a senior monk and lead services. Michael Moriarty He was inducted into his new role at a Shuso Hossen ceremony led by the Brevard Zen Center temple's head monk Jim Gallagher, just months before he died, Dec. 2, of a brief illness. "He was a very spiritual and learned man," said Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, who knew Moriarty through his involvement in the Colonialtown neighborhood association. "… He was never afraid to share his opinion but he always did so in a very respectful and decent way, and I think that's why so many people will miss him.

Vietnam’s first Buddhism Museum in Vietnam opens in Da Nang

VietnamNet, Dec 15, 2015 Hanoi, Vietnam -- More than 500 Buddhist antiquities, including artifacts rated as national treasures, are on display at the Museum of Buddhist Culture in the central city of Da Nang. The museum, located in Quan The Am Temple in Ngu Hanh Son District, was licensed by the municipal government at the end of 2014. This is the first Buddhist Culture Museum in Vietnam.

Sayadaw Agganna’s Dhamma Talk “The Origin of Kathina Ceremony”

at Kathina 2015 DMC dated 8th November 2015.

At the end of rain retreat, Buddhist devotees celebrate offering kathina robe ceremony of which is one of the significant Buddhist traditions. This ceremony is celebrated from full moon day of October to full moon day of November every year. This ceremony has been celebrated from the Buddha’s time to present day, according to the allowance of the Buddha.

THE ORIGIN OF KATHINA CEREMONY
How does the kathina ceremony happened in our Buddhasasana? This is mentioned in the Mahavagga, the 3rd book of Vinayapitaka.

When the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery, Anathapindika’s park in Savatthi. At that time, thirty bhikkhus (Buddhavaggi thirty brothers from Pava) came from Paveyyaka to pay respect to the Buddha. These Bhikkhus took Dutinga practices that stayed in forest, going for alms-food, wearing three robes and robes are also rag-robes (Pansukula).

However they were unable to reach in time of their rain retreat in Savatthi and the rain retreat (vassa) also was approaching, so they decided to stay at Saketa city which is six yojana (one Yojana = 12 miles) away from Savatthi.

They felt disenchanted because they had to spend their rain retreat at Saketa city which was not far from Savatthi. Although they felt disenchanted in that place they still spend their rain retreat over there. They did pavarana (invitation ceremony) immediately at the end of vassa and continued their journey to Savatthi to see the Buddha.

On the way, they encountered heavy rain and when they reached their destination, their robes were drenched and heavy. So they became exhausted and tired when they reached before Buddha. Also they had carried the double robes with them, those double robes were soaked up by rain water and they became too heavy.

If it is possible for the bhikkhu to leave these double robes in one of the monasteries or one of the villages on the way, it would be much easier to travel. Due to the asamadanacara rule where three determined robes must be in allowable distance at the dawn time. There thirty bhikkhus have to carry their double robes with them. These robes were soaked with water and like water bags. Thus, the bhikkus were too tired when they reached Savatthi. 

When they reached before the Buddha, having paid respect to the Buddha, the Buddha asked about their condition in vassa and on the way. They reported about their condition of vassa and their experiences on the way to Savatthi.
Then the Buddha realized how they had felt, carrying the three Robes on the way. So to get the freedom from this asamadanacara sikkhapada (rule) and according to the previous Buddhas’ tradition, the Buddha allowed to hold the Kathina robe spreading ceremony. The monks who spread the kathina robe will gain five privileges (benefits) from vina (rules) also allowed by the Buddha.
[Monks, I allow monks who have completed the vassa to spread the kathina.
(Five Privileges) monks, will be allowable to you who have spread the kathina]
From that time onwards, kathina robe offering and spreading ceremony happened in the Buddha sasana.

Loving Kindness Wins The Race

Bhikkhu Subhuti's Blog

(Adventures in Going for Alms in Hawaii)

Last week we encountered a disturbing event while we were going for Alms in village in Kauai. There was a lady on a bicycle who approached us and asked us what we were doing. Her tone of voice was not so happy, but we enjoy telling people what we are doing because it does not happen so often and that is one of our goals when we stand in front of each house. So I replied with my canned response, mentally noting the cross around her neck by saying, “We are Buddhist monks, and we do not touch money. We are doing many things and one of those things we do is to collect food for our daily meal.” I usually then start to tell them about how we are wishing loving kindness to each house to keep our minds’ pure while we are waiting for people to figure the food thing out. However, this lady started to butt in with negative comments, like ,”Why don’t you get a job?” When I told her “spiritual practice” was our job. She sarcastically replied, “Oh, now isn’t that convenient?”

World-Famous Buddhas of Bamiyan Resurrected in Afghanistan

Press Trust of India, June 15, 2015 Kabul, Afghanistan -- Fourteen years after the Taliban dynamited the world-famous Buddhas of Bamiyan, the giant statues were resurrected with 3D light projection technology in the empty cavities where they once stood in Afghanistan. The projected image of a Buddha statue in Bamiyan that had been destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. (AFP Photo) The project was undertaken by a Chinese couple who used 3D laser light projection technology to fill the empty cavities in the cliff in the Bamiyan Valley in Hazarajat with Buddha's virtual images, 230 km northwest of Kabul. The couple - Janson Yu and Liyan Hu - were saddened by the destruction of the two statues which were carved during the 6th century and decided to undertake the project.

The benefit of volunteering in service of the Dhamma.

"When you sit a course you deal only with yourself, but when you serve you learn how to deal with others and how to live properly in the outside world. You may have practised Vipassana diligently and maintained equanimity towards all sensations, but you are not supposed to live in a glass house. You have to apply Dhamma in the world outside, and that is not easy. In a centre you are in a protected, healthy, wholesome atmosphere and that gives you the strength to apply Vipassana to face the vicissitudes of life.

"I know from my own experience and also from that of others who have started giving Dhamma service, that meditation improves after serving. The meditation is deeper, the equanimity is stronger, and there is more metta. This is because the paramis have increased by giving Dhamma service. In every way Dhamma service gives wonderful results." ~ S N Goenka