Monday, April 14, 2014

YVK: Letter from death row: Pay it forward

Yong Vui Kong
Jul 4, 11, 10:42am

Sabahan Yong Vui Kong, 21, is on death row in Singapore for drug trafficking. Malaysiakini is publishing Yong's final letters to Yetian, a member of the Save Vui Kong Campaign, in the next few weeks as he faces death.

This morning my brother brought the Buddhist books and amulets that Ely sent from America. I was elated.

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

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: