Friday, July 1, 2016

Buddhist monks serve iftar for Muslims in Bangladesh

by Mahmud Hossain Opu, Aljazeera, 25 Jun 2016

Monastery has been serving iftar meals to underprivileged Muslims during Ramadan for the past six years.

Dhaka, Bangladesh -- Every day during Ramadan, hundreds of Muslim men, women and children queue in front of a Buddhist monastery in the Bangladeshi capital to receive iftar, the food with which Muslims break their fast at sunset during the holy month.

The initiative by Dharmarajika Buddhist monastery to distribute food to poor and destitute Muslims is a rare example of social harmony between two groups from two different religions in a country that has witnessed a spate of fatal attacks against minorities and secular activists.

The Dharmarajika Buddhist monastery began this project six years ago, and monks say Ramadan is the best opportunity to help poor Muslims.

Bhaddekaratta Sutta, MN 131

One of the most beautiful and poetic passages from the suttas.

"Let one not trace back the past
Or yearn for the future-yet-to-come.
That which is past is left behind
Unattained is the "yet-to-come."
But that which is present he discerns —
With insight as and when it comes.
The Immovable — the-non-irritable.
In that state should the wise one grow
Today itself should one bestir
Tomorrow death may come — who knows?
For no bargain can we strike
With Death who has his mighty hosts.
But one who dwells thus ardently
By day, by night, untiringly
Him the Tranquil Sage has called
The Ideal Lover of Solitude."

Pāramīs are virtues

"Pāramīs are virtues—that is, good human qualities. By perfecting them, one crosses the ocean of misery and reaches the stage of full liberation, full enlightenment. Everyone who is working to liberate oneself has to develop the ten pāramīs. They are needed to dissolve the ego and to reach the stage of egolessness. A student of Dhamma who aspires to attain the final stage of liberation joins a Vipassana course in order to develop these pāramīs.

Little by little, one develops these pāramīs in every course. They should be developed in daily living as well. However, in a meditation course environment, the perfection of the pāramī can be greatly accelerated.

A human life is of limited duration, with limited capabilities. It is important to use one’s life to the best purpose. And there can be no higher purpose than to establish oneself in Dhamma, in the path, which leads one out of defilements, out of the illusion of self, to the final goal of ultimate truth. Therefore no effort is more worthwhile for a human being than the exertion of all one’s faculties to take steps on this path. ..." ~ S.N.Goenka

Little Saigon residents say they feel a connection with the Dalai Lama, who will visit new Buddhist temple

By DEEPA BHARATH, OC Register, June 11, 2016

Orange County, CA (USA) -- The 14th Dalai Lama – spiritual leader to hundreds of millions of Buddhists, political power player, an all-around Lama of the people – is probably the world’s most famous refugee.

<< Thich Vien Ly, abbot at the Chua Dieu Ngu Buddhist temple in Westminster, puts on a hard hat as his brother Thich Vien Huy looks on in the main temple, which is still under construction. MICHAEL GOULDING, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Orange County’s Little Saigon – a place with more Vietnamese people than any place outside of Vietnam – is a community built by refugees.

Kitagiri sutta, MN 70

The Kalama sutta is often quoted to support a sceptical approach to Dhamma. This is fine for one trying to decide which religious teacher to follow. But for one who has taken refuge in the 3 Jewels, and wishes to reap the full benefits, the Buddha recommends having saddha.

"For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this: 'The Blessed One is the Teacher, I am a disciple. He is the one who knows, not I.'

For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, the Teacher's message is healing & nourishing.

For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, what accords with the Dhamma is this: 'Gladly would I let the flesh & blood in my body dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if I have not attained what can be reached through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing my persistence.'

For a disciple who has conviction in the Teacher's message & lives to penetrate it, one of two fruits can be expected: either gnosis here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging-sustenance — non-return."

That is what the Blessed One said.

Goljek Forest Hermitage, Slovenia

Goljek Forest Hermitage – also called Samaṇadīpa – is a small monastic (samaṇa) sanctuary (dīpa) for small number of monks from the contemplative and conservative forest tradition of Theravāda Buddhism. It is the first of the kind in this part of Europe that follows the original teachings of the Buddha, as found in the early texts and has an unbroken linage from around 2600 years ago.

Mettanisamsa Sutta, AN 11.16

"One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. One is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. The devas protect one. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One's mind gains concentration quickly. One's complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and — if penetrating no higher — is headed for the Brahma worlds.

"These are the eleven benefits that can be expected for one whose awareness-release through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken."

Berlin celebrates Vesak

By Lalith Ganhewa, The Buddhist Channel, June 14, 2016

Berlin, Germany -- Buddhism is growing in Germany and as a result the number of Buddhist places of worship, meditation centres and religious centres where people meet are on the rapid increase. There are around 700 buddhist institutions representing all traditions of Buddhism in Germany, these figures could be higher as some groups shun publicity.

<< Ambassador Karunatileka Amunugama is seen placing the Relic Casket donated by the President of Sri Lanka on the Table

In the capital city, Berlin, there are around 30 – 40 Buddhist temples and over 50 German Buddhist organisations and a large Asian Buddhist community compromising of Sri Lankans, Thai Nationals, Tibetans, Cambodians and Vietnamese.

Have faith

Nagpur’s iconic Buddhist sites that enthral tourists from all over the world

by Rishabh Deb, Times of India, Jun 11, 2016

Nagpur, India -- In an effort to put Nagpur on the tourism map, guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has proposed a plan called 'Buddhist Tourism Circuit', which aims to give fillip to tourism in city. The project includes beautification of popular Buddhist sites and their improved ambience. In the light of this announcement by the minister, we explore city's top five Buddhist destinations and discover what draws tourists to these iconic places...

Dragon Palace Buddhist Temple

What to explore: Known as the 'Lotus Temple of Nagpur', the Dragon Palace Temple is surrounded by verdant greens, skillfully landscaped gardens with beautiful flowers. Situated in Kamptee, the temple is about 15 km from the city and was founded by social activist Sulekha Kumbhare.

Kitagiri Sutta

"What kind of person is a Dhamma-follower? Here some person does not contact with the body and abide in those libera- tions that are peaceful and immaterial, transcending forms, and his taints are not yet destroyed by his seeing with wisdom, but those teachings proclaimed by the Tathagata are accepted by him after reflecting on them sufficiently with wisdom. Furthermore, he has these qualities: the faith faculty, the energy faculty, the mindfulness faculty, the concentration faculty, and the wisdom faculty. This kind of person is called a Dhamma-fol- lower. I say of such a bhikkhu that he still has work to do with diligence. Why is that? Because when that venerable one...into homelessness. Seeing this fruit of diligence for such a bhikkhu, I say that he still has work to do with diligence.

Jo Wee's photo.

by Jen Boynton, Triplepundit.com, Jun 8, 2016

On the opening night of the 2016 Sustainable Brands conference, the venerable Phra Anil Sakya, buddhist monk and professor at Mahamakut Buddhist University, took to the stage. He came to share an important reminder with a group of sustainability professionals who were quite literally wiggling in their seats waiting for the networking happy hour to begin. Moderation should rule all our actions, Dr. Phra said. He pointed to capitalism as the root of our problem:

“Advertisements stole our identity. They tell us what we need and that is where it stole our identity. That’s where we lost our purpose.”

On the anvil, trans-national Buddhist circuit from India to Nepal

by Divya A, The India Express, May 31, 2016

The map of the Buddhist circuit as envisaged by the ministry comprises Bodh Gaya, Vaishali, Rajgir and Kushinagar in Bihar, Sarnath, and Shravasti in UP, along with Kapilavastu and Lumbini in Nepal where Buddha was born.

New Delhi, India -- The Ministry of Tourism is set to announce the Buddhist circuit as India’s first trans-national tourist circuit. The effort will promote tourism in Nepal and Sri Lanka alongside that in India, with sites in the Buddhist circuit as well as the Ramayana circuit spanning the other two countries.

“It is surprising that while Buddhism originated in India and seven of the eight main Buddhist pilgrimage sites are in India, our country gets not even one per cent of Buddhist pilgrims in the world,” Tourism & Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma told The Indian Express. “Southeast Asian nations such as Indonesia and Thailand are getting a major chunk of Buddhism-related tourists while India lags behind, mostly due to a lack of infrastructure and awareness. We are going to offer world-class facilities and lure many of these tourists to India, which will also add tremendously to revenue and employment generation.”

Vijja-bhagiya Sutta, AN 2.30

"These two qualities have a share in clear knowing. Which two? Tranquillity (samatha) & insight (vipassana).

"When tranquillity is developed, what purpose does it serve? The mind is developed. And when the mind is developed, what purpose does it serve? Passion is abandoned.

"When insight is developed, what purpose does it serve? Discernment is developed. And when discernment is developed, what purpose does it serve? Ignorance is abandoned.

"Defiled by passion, the mind is not released. Defiled by ignorance, discernment does not develop. Thus from the fading of passion is there awareness-release. From the fading of ignorance is there discernment-release."

Famous Buddhist Temple Massages Its Way Into Modern Healthcare Industry

By Kalinga Seneviratne, Lotus News Network, June 10, 2016

Bangkok, Thailand -- Wat Po temple in Bangkok is better known for the huge reclining Buddha statue, which attracts millions of tourists each year. Some also quietly walk into the air-conditioned massage clinic inside the monastery premises to try out an “authentic” Thai massage wondering what has the temple and Buddhism got to do with massage?

What is today called Thai Massage is an ancient healing system combining acupressure and energy balancing techniques, based on Indian Ayurvedic medicine, and yoga postures. The founding father of Thai massage is an Indian born Ayurvedic doctor named Jivaka Kumar Bhacca, who lived during the time of the Buddha and is believed to have treated him as well. He is revered to this day throughout Thailand as the Father of Thai Medicine.

Kosanji Temple combines the greatest hits of Japanese Buddhist architecture

by Steve John Powell, SCMP, June 9, 2016

On an island in the Inland Sea, Kosanji Temple is an architectural mash-up of Japanese Buddhism's greatest hits.

Hiroshima, Japan -- Are you ever stuck for Mother's Day gift ideas? Why not build her a temple? That's what Japanese businessman Kozo Kanemoto did.

Kosanji Temple, in Ikuchijima. Photos: Angeles Marin Cabello

When his mother died in 1934, Kanemoto, who had a successful steel-pipe business in Osaka, gave up his job, grew his hair and became a Buddhist priest, renaming himself Koso Kosanji. Two years later, he founded a temple in his mother's honour and devoted the next 30 years to its construction.

Bahiya sutta, Udana 1.10

"Then, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bāhiya, there is no you in connection with that. When there is no you in connection with that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress."

Should one try to convince a Westerner just coming to Buddhism to accept the principles of karma and rebirth fully?

Bhikkhu Bodhi: I wouldn’t begin by trying to impose the full weight of classical Buddhist doctrine on a Westerner who has newly come to Buddhism. Yet I wouldn’t disguise or camouflage the teachings. I would tell someone exactly what the Buddha teaches.

Teflon mind

Bright flash of light marks incredible moment life begins when sperm meets egg

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~ Kitagiri Sutta (MN 70)

“And how is final knowledge achieved by gradual training, gradual practice, gradual progress? Here one who has faith in a teacher visits him; when he visits him, he pays respect to him; when he pays respect to him, he gives ear; one who gives ear hears the Dhamma; having heard the Dhamma, he memorises it; he examines the meaning of the teachings he has memorised; when he examines their meaning, he gains a reflective acceptance of those teachings; when he has gained a reflective acceptance of those teachings, zeal springs up in him; when zeal has sprung up, he applies his will; having applied his will, he scrutinises; having scrutinised, he strives; resolutely striving, he realises with the body the supreme truth and sees it by penetrating it with wisdom."

Dharma Companions @SABS