“Be a 21st century Buddhist,” says the Dalai Lama in Zurich

By Tenzin Dharpo, Phayul, October 15, 2016 DHARAMSHALA, India -- The Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama has  urged Tibetans to become modern Buddhist practitioner; relying not on what is  being taught but rather explore on their own the teachings of the Buddha to  fully understand the knowledge. The 81 year old Tibetan leader was speaking  during a teaching in the Swiss city of Zurich yesterday. Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland. Oct. 14, 2016. Photo-Manuel Bauer, OHHDL “We Tibetans have a culture rooted in the Nalanda tradition that emphasizes study, reflection and meditation. We ’ve preserved it for more than 1000 years. In Tibet, Tibetans have kept their spirit alive. We in exile are their representatives,” the Buddhist master said.

Abhasita Sutta

Bhumibol Adulyadej and Buddhist Kingship in Thailand

Rama IX served as a revered symbol and also shielded his country from the worst consequences of its political instability.

By Akhilesh Pillalamarri October 15, 2016 The Diplomat

What makes an ideal king in the Buddhist tradition?

This is a question that many will ponder, as Thailand mourns the death of the late Rama IX (Bhumibol Adulyadej) and awaits the ascension of his controversial heir, Maha Vajiralongkorn. Buddhist monarchs continue to reign in Thailand, Cambodia, and Bhutan (and Buddhism has influenced the more Shinto-oriented imperial tradition of the Japanese monarchy). Moreover, the metaphysics of Buddhism remain intertwined with office of the Dalai Lama.

Image Credit: Public Domain image via Wikimedia Commons

Peace is everywhere

Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.
~ Ajahn Chah

Pakistan and Lanka tread the path of Buddhist heritage

by Frances Bulathsinghala, Dawn, Oct 7, 2016 Lahore, Pakistan -- Pakistan and Sri Lanka have embarked on a new journey in bilateral relations by benefiting from a common Buddhist heritage. The Fasting Buddha at the Lahore Museum is said to date back to the Gandhara period and is one of the many Buddha relics and sites in the country which the Lankan delegation visited. Till the end of Lanka’s war with the Tamil Tiger rebels in mid-2009, the relationship was based on military support to the Lankan government. However, a gradual cultural orientation was in the offing in Pakistan’s diplomatic policy with Sri Lanka. In 2007, the book Buddhist Gandhara - History, Art and Architecture, written by a Pakistani musicologist and archaeologist, Mr Ihsan H Nadiem, was translated into Sinhala.

Keeping the Breath in Mind by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo

Method 2 

THERE ARE SEVEN BASIC STEPS: 
1.Start out with three or seven long in-and-out breaths, thinking bud- with the in-breath, and dho with the out. Keep the meditation syllable as long as the breath.
2.Be clearly aware of each in-and-out breath.
3.Observe the breath as it goes in and out, noticing whether it’s comfortable or uncomfortable, broad or narrow, obstructed or free-flowing, fast or slow, short or long, warm or cool. If the breath doesn’t feel comfortable, adjust it until it does. For instance, if breathing in long and out long is uncomfortable, try breathing in short and out short.

What happens at every moment?

When the Aggregates arise, decay and die, O bhikkhu, every moment you are born, decay, and die. ~Gautama Buddha~

Nepal’s most popular Buddhist nun is a musical rock star

The Hindu, October 14, 2016  Ani Choying Drolma is famous as one of the Himalayan  country’s biggest pop icons. Kathmandu, Nepal. In this October 7, 2016 photo, Buddhist nun and musician Ani Choying Drolma performs during a concert in Mumbai. She is one Buddhist nun everyone in Nepal knows by name, not because she is a religious icon and a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, nor for her work running a girl’s school and a hospital for kidney patients but because she is one of the country’s biggest pop stars. With more than 12 albums of melodious Nepali tunes and Tibetan hymns that highlight themes of peace and harmony, the songstress in saffron robes has won hearts across the Himalayan nation and abroad.  Nepali tunes, Tibetan hymns With more than 12 albums of melodious Nepali tunes and Tibetan hymns that highlight themes of peace and harmony, the songstress in saffron robes has won hearts across the Himalayan nation and abroad. “I am totally against the conservative, conventional idea of a Buddhist nun,” the 45-year-old nun said. Some people “think a Buddhist nun should be someone who does not come out in the media so much, who is isolated ... always in a monastery, always shy. But I don’t believe in that.” Neither do her fans, who greet her with a roar of applause whenever she walks out on stage, and fall silent as she closes her eyes to sing.

Dhammapada 360

Cakkhunā saṃvaro sādhu
sādhu sotena saṃvaro
Ghāṇena saṃvaro sādhu
sādhu jivhāya saṃvaro.

Restraint of the eye is good.
Good is restraint of the ear.
Restraint of the nose is good.
Good is restraint of the tongue.
~ translated by Gil Fronsdal

Malaysian Buddhists to sponsor 1,900 student monks in Sri Lanka

The Buddhist Channel, Oct 18, 2016

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Maha Karuna Buddhist Society will be organizing the annual “Student Monks Education Dana” this year on 20th November, 2016. The event will be held at the village of Kirinda, in the district of Mathara, Sri Lanka. The venue was selected as it coincides with the 10th anniversary memorial of the late Ven. Dr K Sri Dhammananda, who hails from Kirinda.

Organiser of the event, Ven. Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera, Adhikarana Sangha Nayaka (Chief Judiciary) of Malaysia said that the annual event provide academic assistance in the form of books and educational materials to junior monks. This year, about 1,900 monks from the Mathara area are expected to receive the assistance.

“Every year, Maha Karuna (Buddhist Society) organizes the “Student Monks Education Dana” to provide assistance to student monks in Sri Lanka,” says Ven. Saranankara, who is also the Chief Abbot of Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple in Kuala Lumpur. “This year, we chose the village of Kirinda to honour the 10th anniversary memorial of our late Chief Venerable Dr. K. Sri Dhammananda, who incidentally hails from Kirinda,” he adds.

10 Misconceptions about Buddhism (#6)

This article is the sixth in the Tricycle blog series 10 Misconceptions about Buddhism with scholars Robert E. Buswell Jr. and Donald S. Lopez Jr. 

Was Buddha God or Human?
While Buddhism has a place for gods, the Buddha wasn’t exactly one of them. JUN 05, 2014

Buddhism is famous in the West as an “atheistic religion,” in the sense that, unlike the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, it does not recognize a single creator deity. However, one should not assume from this that Buddhism has no gods. It has not one, but many.

Ancient Buddhist celebration Kathina to take place in former church

(left to right) Para Ar Garn Anocha, Para Ar Garn Parnchanok and Para Ar Garn Thada in the Meditation room. Picture by FRANK REID 

LISA NIGHTINGALE 18 October 2016

An ancient celebration at a Buddhist temple in South Tyneside aims to give people the chance to find out more about the religion.

Members of the Buddhist meditation centre – at the former St Andrew’s Church, off Ellison Street, Hebburn – are preparing to stage one of the most important celebrations on the calendar.

Bhumibol mourned in Swiss Buddhist temples

Swissinfo.ch, Oct 16, 2016 Lausanne, Switzerland -- Two Buddhist temples in Switzerland conducted special religious ceremonies to mourn the death of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Bhumibol in Switzerland. Snapshots of Bhumibol Adulyadej's Swiss stay as well as his official visit as King of Thailand in 1960. (Images: Keystone)  Around 250 people attended the special ceremony held at the Buddhist temple in Echallens in the canton of Vaud on Sunday to pay their respects to the former ruler of Thailand who died on October 13 at the age of 88.

Dhammapada 96

Calm in mind, speech, and action
And released through right understanding,
Such a person
Is fully at peace.

14th-century Goryeo Buddhist painting returns home

Korea Herald, Oct 17, 2016

Kolmar Korea CEO Yoon Dong-han donates “Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara” to National Museum of Korea

Seoul, South Korea -- The rare 14th century Buddhist painting “Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara” has found its home at the National Museum of Korea.

The Goryeo Buddhist painting “Water-Moon Avalokitesvara,” purchased and donated to the National Museum of Korea by Kolmar Korea Chairman Yoon Dong-han (Yonhap)

With less than 50 paintings from the Goryeo kingdom “Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara” in existence today, it was remarkable that Yoon Dong-han, the chairman of leading cosmetics and pharmaceutical manufacturing company Kolmar Korea, was able to buy the painting in Japan and bring it back home.

Alerted to the availability of the piece, Yoon bought the painting for 2.5 billion won ($2.19 million) from a Japanese art dealer in the spring.

On Monday, the National Museum of Korea was officially gifted the painting, the first-ever “Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara” for the museum. A six-month inspection preceded Monday’s ceremony, with cooperation from the Cultural Heritage Administration.

Although the museum has been endowed with works of art of higher monetary value in the past, the historical and national significance of the piece is unprecedented, Jung Myung-hee, researcher at the National Museum of Korea, explained.

Learn to undo the perceptions

What the Buddha Taught Us About Race

Thai forest monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu discusses four main takeaways from his new translation of the Sutta Nipata.

By Emma Varvaloucas 

OCT 13, 2016

The Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho, Thailand | Photo by Christopher Rose http://tricy.cl/2evDRt3

Thai forest monk Thanissaro Bhikkhu is a prolific translator of the Pali canon, the earliest complete set of the Buddha’s teachings. Than Geoff, as he is known to his students and friends, has recently printed his translation of the Sutta Nipata (“The Discourse Group”). Made up of 72 suttas in total, the Sutta Nipata contains some of the most well-known canonical poems (you may have heard, for instance, of the Metta Sutta) and presents the Buddha’s thoughts on such topics as racism and classism. Despite the text’s antiquity, it is particularly pertinent to today’s sociopolitical climate.

Below, the monk answers four quick questions about the Sutta Nipata.

Buddhist Animal Rights Conference adopts Resolution calling on Govt. of Sri Lanka to enact the Animal Welfare Bill

The Buddhist Channel, Oct 18, 2016 Seoul, South Korea -- The first Asian Buddhist Animal Rights Conference co-hosted by Dharma Voices for Animals (DVA) and Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) was held successfully at Hotel Skypark Kingstown, Dongdaemun in Seoul, South Korea on Friday September 30, 2016 immediately after the conclusion of the 28th General Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists Conference in the same city. << DVA members at Hotel Skypark, Kingstown, Dongdaemun, Seoul, South Korea (Sept. 26, 2016). Left to Right: Bob Isaacson, Ananda Mahinkanda,Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan, Senaka Weeraratna, Henry Dang (Hon. Secretary-General, Buddhist Federation of Australia), Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara, Albert Mah It was a full day Conference.

MN 10 (Satipatthana Sutta)

“Again, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu is one who acts in full awareness when going forward and returning; who acts in full awareness when looking ahead and looking away; who acts in full awareness when flexing and extending his limbs; who acts in full awareness when wearing his robes and carrying his outer robe and bowl; who acts in full awareness when eating, drinking, consuming food, and tasting; who acts in full awareness when defecating and urinating; who acts in full awareness when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, and keeping silent.

“In this way he abides contemplating the body as a body internally, externally, and both internally and externally... And he abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. That too is how a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as a body." 

How to Choose a Type of Mindfulness Meditation

A new study teases out the different benefits of four kinds of meditation.  By Kira M. Newman | October 13, 2016.Okea/Adobe Stock
Many beginner meditators, myself included, start out with a mindful breathing meditation: one breath in, one breath out, the mind wanders, you bring it back.

10 Misconceptions about Buddhism (#5)

Buddhism: Philosophy or Religion?

In Asian religious traditions, religion—with its myths, magic, and miracles—goes hand in hand with philosophy. MAY 29, 2014

This article is the fifth in the Tricycle blog series 10 Misconceptions about Buddhism with scholars Robert E. Buswell Jr. and Donald S. Lopez Jr. 

Saṅkhittadesita Sutta : CONCISE TEACHING AN 8.63

translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Translator's note: This discourse is important in that it explicitly refers to the practice of the four frames of reference (the four foundations of mindfulness) as a form of concentration practice, mastered in terms of the levels of jhana.

'Then a certain monk went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "It would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone in seclusion: heedful, ardent, & resolute."

Ruwanwelisaya Stupa

Ruwanweli Maha Seya රුවන්වැලිසෑය
Ruwanwelisaya Location in Sri Lanka

Ruwanwelisaya Chedi in the sacred city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.

The Ruwanwelisaya is a stupa in Sri Lanka, considered a marvel for its architectural qualities and sacred to many Buddhists all over the world.^[1] It was built by King Dutugemunu c. 140 B.C., who became lord of all Sri Lanka after a war in which the Chola King Elara, was defeated. It is also known as Mahathupa, Swarnamali Chaitya, Suvarnamali Mahaceti (in Pali) and Rathnamali Dagaba.

This is one of the Solosmasthana (the 16 places of veneration) and the Atamasthana (the 8 places of veneration in the ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura). The stupa is one of the world's tallest monuments, standing at 103 m (338 ft) and with a circumference of 290 m (951 ft).^[2] The Kaunghmudaw Pagoda in Sagaing, Myanmar is modeled after this stupa.^[3]

The stupa was an ancient ruin in the 19th century. After fundraising efforts by Sinhalese bhikkhu, the stupa was renovated in the early 20th century.^[4] The Ruwanveli Seya Restoration Society was founded in 1902 and the final crowning of the stupa took place on 17 June 1940.^[4]

The largest Stupa after Ruwanwelisaya was build in was the Kotmale Mahaweli Maha Seya. This stupa took 33 years and 3 months to complete.

https://www.facebook.com/methmaga/videos/680670245280829/

A Challenge to Buddhists

BY BHIKKHU BODHI| SEPTEMBER 1, 2007

Each morning, I check out a number of Internet news reports and commentaries on websites ranging from the BBC to Truthout. Reading about current events strongly reinforces for me the acuity of the Buddha’s words: “The world is grounded upon suffering.” Almost daily I am awed by the enormity of the suffering that assails human beings on every continent, and even more by the hard truth that so much of this suffering springs not from the vicissitudes of impersonal nature but from the fires of greed, hatred, and delusion raging in the human heart.

Dhammapada 251

There's no fire like that of lust,
No grasping like that of hate,
No snare like that of delusion,
No river like that of craving.
~ Dhammapada 251 (Gil Fronsdal)

WAS THE BUDDHA A ‘PERFECTIONIST’?

“By definition, a ‘perfectionist’ is someone who likes to accomplish something perfectly, and finds it difficult to accept anything less than flawless.

“No, the Buddha was not a ‘perfectionist’. He did not have any illusions about perfection. He truly understood the world and was very clear about imperfections in life.

“However, the Buddha taught a way to the perfection of morality, mentality, and wisdom – one which He termed the “Noble Path” (Pāli, ‘Ariyamagga’) to purification. Anyone who journeys along that Path can achieve eradication of defilements and attain perfect freedom from ‘Dukkha’.

“The Buddha took a long time to reach that perfection Himself. Thereafter, He was distinguished as ‘Vijja-carana sampanno’ – One who had perfect knowledge of the world and with faultless conduct – ‘the Perfect One’.”

– Excerpt from a Q&A Session with Nalanda founder Bro Tan.