Spiritual Enlightenment

Paramahamsa Nithyananda Active in Cosmic World

2011-03-08T04:16:00.002+02:00

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--From March 2nd – 22nd, living enlightened master and avatar Paramahamsa Nithyananda will be leading eN-Effect, a breakthrough Global Peace Initiative, held around the world via live video streaming from the ashram headquarters in Bidadi, India.

“I am transmitting the experience of cosmic consciousness directly to you, and around the world”
The eN-Effect, short for the “enlightening Nithyananda Effect,” gives the experience of Kundalini energy awakening, bliss, healing, improved health, increased productivity and energy levels and ultimately, rapid transformation to higher consciousness. To learn more about the program, please visit: http://nithyananda.org/en-effect.

“I am transmitting the experience of cosmic consciousness directly to you, and around the world,” explains Paramahamsa Nithyananda. “When an avatar descends, he delivers the experience of Kundalini energy beyond the bounds of space and time - helping you fall into the same coherence (state of restful awareness) and experience the eN-Effect.”

Kundalini awakening is a practice that has been passed on from master to disciple for centuries. In this cyber-age, Paramahamsa Nithyananda is sharing the remarkable ancient science for the 21st Century, and awakening the Kundalini even for those viewing through the Internet.

How does eN-Effect work?

When a tuning fork is struck in a room with more tuning forks of the same pitch, all tuning forks will start to resonate and vibrate the same sound, even though they are not touched. Simply put, the eN-Effect happens in this same way. Through the science of coherence, which works on the basis of resonance, Paramahamsa Nithyananda can transmit this direct experience of higher consciousness to people around the world.

eN-Effect is a provable science to inspire global change. It starts with change in the individual, who in turn, radiates and affects his/her surrounding community. When this internal transformation takes place, each person approaches life with much greater consideration, love for others, and dynamism to implement workable solutions.

In recent research, scientists have found that the eN-Effect is having a major effect on the mitochondria, the human cell’s powerhouse, and is increasing its energy output by 1300%. Additionally, studies on hundreds of participants in 21-day programs in the energy field of Nithyananda’s main ashram in Bidadi, India, show that 99% of the people report a move away from depressive or stressed states towards higher consciousness, and are experiencing more joy, love, creativity, peace, and clarity. Further details on the studies will be released soon. http://nithyananda.org/en-effect/article/science-en-effect

About Paramahamsa Nithyananda:

Rare living incarnation from India, Paramahamsa Nithyananda has emerged as a compelling spiritual force of our millennium. A spiritual genius of incomparable scope, Nithyananda offers us a 360° insight into everything from management to meditation, from relationships to religion, and from success to sannyas. A powerful healer of chronic physical and mental illnesses, and the prolific author of over 200 thought-provoking books in 26 languages, Nithyananda is currently the most-watched spiritual teacher on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/LifeBlissFoundation), with over 10 million upload views. Daily, he attracts thousands of people to his live discourses available freely at http://nithyananda.org/en-tv.

Nithyananda has given presentations and workshops at Microsoft, AT&T, PepsiCo, Oracle Corporation, Qualcomm, Petrobras Corporation (Brazil), and ITT (India).

A recent survivor of religious persecution and unlawful imprisonment in his own country, Nithyananda has emerged still stronger from the attack, and continues to reveal to the world the deeper dimensions of yoga and meditation drawn from the ancient mystic disciplines of the East. Working and sharing with over 20 million people worldwide every year, Nithyananda is committed to helping humanity make the next big breakthrough: into Super Consciousness.

Chapel Hill Services

2011-03-02T02:40:00.001+02:00

PRLog – Jan 05, 2011 – Grace Church of Chapel Hill Launches Three New Service Times

Chapel Hill, N.C. – Grace Church of Chapel Hill North Carolina will grow from two to three Sunday morning services beginning on January 16, 2011. The new Sunday service times are 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.

“Running out of space is a good problem,” said Kendrick Vinar, senior pastor at Grace. “Two thousand and ten was our most attended year in our history. We are excited to be growing and believe that these three convenient service times will provide guests more options and a wonderful Sunday morning atmosphere for worship.”

The new services will begin with a “Grand Opening” on January 16, which will include some special surprises to celebrate the event, the launch of a “40 Days of Destiny” sermon series and small group program. More information can be found at www.gracelife.com.

About Grace Church of Chapel Hill:
Grace Church of Chapel Hill is a non-denominational church that has been serving the Triangle area since 1986. It is located at 200 Sage Rd. Chapel Hill and has services at 8:30 a.m.,10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Kendrick Vinar has been the senior pastor at Grace since August of 2005. For more information on the church, staff or church activities please visit www.gracelife.com.

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About Grace Church of Chapel Hill:
Grace Church of Chapel Hill is a non-denominational church that has been serving the Triangle area since 1986. It is located at 200 Sage Rd. Chapel Hill and has services at 8:30 a.m.,10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Kendrick Vinar has been the senior pastor at Grace since August of 2005. For more information on the church, staff or church activities please visit www.gracelife.com.

See the Buddha in India

2011-02-27T02:30:00.002+02:00

PRLog (Press Release) – Feb 18, 2011 – Melbourne to Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, is the economic capital of Gujarat which is also a major financial hub in western India, Ahmedabad is a city that was closely connected with Indian Freedom Movement and the great freedom fighter like Mahatma Gandhi started from here, this city has drawn international attention for its advancement in education, industry and business. It is fastest growing city in India, If you are in Australia and looking for affordable package to Ahmedabad check it out the link given below.

http://www.buddhatravel.com.au/melbourne-to-ahmedabad.html

Melbourne to Karachi
Karachi is the largest city and former capital of Pakistan, is being frequented by visitors who are always attracted by its gorgeous landscapes and diverse cultures. It is also the economic capital of Pakistan; Karachi is also that it has very crucial role in international diplomacy. There are many of must visits places in Karachi like the national museum, with a fine archaeological collection; and the tomb of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan. If you are in Melbourne and looking for affordable package to Karachi check it out the link given below.

Mind Transformation Through Meditation

2011-02-23T02:32:00.001+02:00

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 30, 2010 – Thubten Lekshey Ling, the Nyingma Buddhist Meditation Centre in Bangalore, is organizing an applied teaching by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche on how to use Buddhist meditation techniques for achieving lasting transformation of minds. This will be conducted on the 5th of September from 10:00am to 1:00pm at Ashirvad, St. Marks Road, Bangalore.

The core of any Buddhist teaching is about transformation of mind, the spoke person for the center said. Everything about our minds is changeable and trainable. Mind has to be freed from its self-imposed constraints and allowed to flourish into its natural perfection. Contemplations and meditations are taught to transform mind and attain this. Meditation is not merely intended towards peace during a sitting session. Through developing deeper understanding, meditation should help us in transforming life altogether. Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche will be teaching about how to prepare for meditation with this goal and how to engage in meditation.

Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche is a distinguished master of the Nyingma tradition of Buddhism, and one of the three superior abbots overseeing the education at Ngagyur Nyingma University of Namdroling Monastery in Bylakkuppe, Mysore. Based on His Holiness Penor Rinpoche's advice, Khen Rinpoche travels extensive around the world delivering teachings and guiding disciples. He received recognition from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama for his Buddhist scholarship during his studies at the Central University of Higher Tibetan Studies, Saranath. He received all major lineage transmissions of the Nyingma tradition from HH Dudjom Rinpoche, HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and HH Penor Rinpoche. He is affectionately known among his disciples as "Khenpo Guru".

The program is free of charges and open for all. Those who wish to attend may contact the organisers over email at info@lekshey.org or over phone at 98802-96930. More details can be found at www.lekshey.org

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Buddhist Art

2011-02-20T04:38:00.001+02:00

MMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Aug 14, 2009 – “Save Our Sacred Buddhist Original Art Treasures”
from Bhutan by finding a Home of Honor!
Rescue the worlds Largest Private Buddhist Textile Art Heritage Collection from Bhutan! We seek immediate funding either through a benefactor and/or a few individual piece sales. This is the only opportunity that we will offer a few rare individual pieces to the Friends of Buddhism. Once we receive initial funding we will be able to reveal the Collection to the world and find its permanent Home of Honor. We sincerely ask YOU, Friend of Buddhism, to give your support to this noble cause.
For 25 years the largest Private Buddhist Art Heritage Collection from Bhutan has been stored away and never seen by anyone! This Collection consists primarily of antique Buddhist textiles and some sacred religious artifacts from Bhutan. Recently this unique collection was endangered in California by major fires and earthquakes… What a tragic loss to the Buddhist world and to Buddhist Art Cultural Heritage IF this sacred Collection, which has never been seen and fully documented in its entirety, were to perish. The next vital step is to seek funding for the Collection’s rescue!
The collector Mr. Bartholomew is a world renowned cultural anthropologist and published author of the first definitive book on Bhutan Textile Art and Culture “Thunder Dragon Textiles from Bhutan,” Shikosha (Publisher), Kyoto, Japan, 1985. Mr. Bartholomew has collected nearly all of his pieces between 1976–1982. This is a period of time when Mr. Bartholomew alone was negotiating primarily through barter exclusively with the Bhutanese Royal Families, high-ranking members of the Royal Government of Bhutan, and top religious leaders/Rimpoches of Buddhism in Bhutan. Most of this Collection was acquired outside of Bhutan in India and Nepal. These historical facts of the Provenance of this Collection makes it unique to the world! “Provenance” is the preeminent factor in determining the cultural art historical significance, rarity, and value of any particular art object. The Bartholomew Collection consists of hundreds of heirloom pieces with full Provenance, truly making it a priceless Sacred Buddhist Art Collection. During the 1970’s and 1980’s 10 major international museums have purchased Bhutanese textiles directly from Mr. Bartholomew to augment their own permanent collections of Asian textile art.
The curator of the International Folk Art Museum of Santa Fe, New Mexico stated in 1982 that “Mr. Bartholomew, having gained the friendship of the Royal Family, is one of the few individuals who has been able to document, collect, display and sell the unusual textiles of this remote Kingdom.”
The Wall Street Journal (“Bhutan’s Lost Art”, Aug. 9th 2001) calls Mr. Bartholomew a world-recognized expert on Bhutan textiles, "an American...who has amassed the world's greatest collection of textiles from the remote Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan." The Asian Wall Street Journal adds (Aug. 11th 2001) that it was Mr. Bartholomew “who first revealed to the world the exceptional beauty of weavings from Bhutan.”
Mr. Bartholomew is currently in ongoing discussions with Her Majesty the Queen of Bhutan and the Royal Government of Bhutan since his third Royal Government Minister invitation to Bhutan in June, 1999. In May 2009, the Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley (Mr. Bartholomew’s oldest friend) has stated in a letter through his Foreign Minister that “I am sure you (Mr. Bartholomew) will be able to take the right decision in the best interest of the very important art collection.”
The Royal Family and the Royal Government of Bhutan have stated clearly that the proprietary rights and future placement, including sales and exhibitions of this unique Collection, would be solely determined and executed by Mr. Bartholomew or subsequent owners, with no violation or infringement upon the Royal Government of Bhutan.
NOW the time has come to rescue and reveal the Collection and our first step is calling on you, Friends of Buddhism, for your valuable support.

Presently, Mr. Bartholomew is living in Laos and devoted to two philanthropic causes for the past 11 years. He has established the GreenHeart Foundation, a non-profit organization which is in partnership with the Lao government, to help achieve the following two goals:
1. A world awareness campaign for the removal of UXO Bombs (Un eXploded Ordinances) that continue to threaten villager’s lives as well as kill hundreds of innocent people (mostly children!) every year in Laos.
2. Preserve the unique textile weaving traditions of the Laotians, and create sustainable livelihoods for young village girls who are often victims of the child sex industry.
Mr. Bartholomew wants to fully dedicate himself to the GeenHeart Foundation and to raising his 3 young daughters. Laos is his passion now, and he is devoted to finding a future Home of Honor for his entire Collection.
Some of the historical sacred Buddhist heirlooms that are in the Collection are personal treasures from His Holiness the Karmapa’s lineage. Mr. Bartholomew’s current mission is to go to India this month to personally meet with three of his Buddhist teachers. This includes meeting once again with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness the 17th Karmapa at which time he will present them with some “GIFTS” from the Bartholomew Collection. The 16th Karmapa was Mr. Bartholomew’s personal “Root Lama” and teacher for the past 30 years. The objective of this visit will be to hopefully receive blessings, guidance and potential support for the endeavors of the S.O.S - “B.O.A.T” campaign.

We hope that this story will raise interest, concern and support in finding a Buddhist Benefactor/Buyer for a few of these Buddhist Cultural Art Heritage Treasures.

Please write us about any interest, suggestions or further queries you may have:
admin@BhutanTextiles.com

Dalai Lama Celebrates Anand Kumar

2011-02-18T03:27:00.000+02:00

PATNA: Buddhist spiritual leader and Nobel laureate the Dalai Lama will felicitate Super-30 founder Anand Kumar, whose pioneering initiative has helped many poor students crack the IIT-JEE, at a function organised by the Bihar Foundation's Mumbai chapter in Mumbai on February 19.

The Dalai will also deliver a discourse on 'Introduction to Buddhism' at the function to which Anand has been invited as the chief guest, foundation spokesperson Ragini Gautam said.

Talking to TOI over phone from Mumbai, Gautam said the foundation last year opened a Bihar medical centre for low income group patients at Nagpara in Mumbai.

The foundation, launched in 2008 at the initiative of the NDA government of Bihar, is an attempt to develop brand Bihar and revive its lost glory. It aims to provide a socio-cultural platform to the Bihari diaspora at the national and global levels and has a steadily growing membership among all sections of the society.

The foundation, which also has seven chapters in foreign countries, has been playing an instrumental role in bettering the image of Bihar and Biharis.

Monk Talks the Talk

2011-02-17T02:35:00.002+02:00

Non-violence, altruism and patience are some of the key aspects of Buddhism and one of the world's most qualified Buddhist teachers is coming to Rotorua to explain those principles.

Tibetan Buddhist monk Geshe Sonam Rinchen will give a free public talk at Rotorua's Princes Gate Hotel on Saturday. It is called "The Essentials of Buddhist Practice: non-violence, altruism and patience".

Eastern Bay of Plenty Dharma Group spokeswoman Adrienne Ranson said Buddhist monks rarely visited Rotorua and to have one the calibre of Geshe Sonam Rinchen was extremely fortunate.

"Geshe Sonam Rinchen is hugely qualified to teach on Buddhist ways of understanding the world. He is now around 77 years old and was born in Kham, Eastern Tibet and began his religious studies at the age of 12."

Ms Ranson said the topics of non-violence, altruism and patience were at the very foundation of Buddhist practice, as well as many other religions.

"In Buddhist philosophy, the virtue of not harming other beings, the virtue of altruism, whereby you learn to think and act for the welfare and happiness of others, and the virtue of patience in the face of adversity big and small, can enable and empower a person to lead the happiest of lives free from suffering."

She said non-Buddhists as well as Buddhists were welcome to attend and everyone was sure to gain useful information.

Geshe Sonam Rinchen will be accompanied by Geshe Sangyey Thinley, who is resident spiritual teacher at Jam Tse Dhargyey Ling Buddhist Centre in Whangarei.

Geshe Sonam Rinchen will be assisted by translator Mathew Whiston and attendant monk the Venerable Nyima.

Geshe Sonam Rinchen will give his talk that will be followed by a time for questions.

"However, because monks depend on the generosity of others, all donations towards costs will be gratefully accepted," she said.Tibetan Buddhist monk Geshe Sonam Rinchen will give a public talk at Rotorua's Princes Gate Hotel on Saturday February 19 from 9.45am-11.45am.

Monk Talks Loved to Students

2011-02-16T03:57:00.001+02:00

Tibetan Buddhist monk Tsering Phuntsok spoke in a crowded Mason Hall Auditorium Monday afternoon, speaking to students, faculty and administrators about his religion’s concepts of love and compassion.
Phuntsok has been a monk for 23 years, living and working in Dharamsala, the exiled home of the Dalai Lama, according to an MSU press release. Phuntsok works and studies with the Dalai Lama, has been an instructor at the monastery where he trained, and works on projects to address the needs of the Tibetan refugees and Indian people in Dharamsala. He also facilitates cultural exchange programs between U.S. students and the Tibetan community.
Jeff Wylie, senior lecturer in MSU’s college of health sciences and human services, moderated the event. Wylie said he first met Phuntsok while visiting some colleagues at Hopkinsville Community College and was excited to bring him to MSU.
Phuntsok said the core teaching of Buddhism was non-violence. He said Buddhism recognized that all humans are bound to suffer, but tries to counter that by determining the causes of suffering, which include covetousness and grasping something that one desperately wants. Other causes include “harsh speech,” “idle gushing,” killing stealing and sexual misconduct, he said.
“Compassion is to wish others free from suffering,” Phuntsok said.

China Bans Reincarnation of Dalai Lama

2011-02-15T02:32:00.001+02:00

Described as the most absurd act of authoritarian history, Beijing, already charged for spying against the 17th Karmapa, has banned the reincarnation of HH the Dalai Lama. China has also banned Buddhist monks in Tibet from reincarnating without government permission.
According to the State Administration for Religious Affairs, the law, which goes into effect next month will stipulate the procedure by which one is to reincarnate. It is being dubbed, an important move to institutionalize management of reincarnation.
Commenting on the development, author Tim Jhonson told, “Chinese Communist Government believes that many of the problems faced in Tibet will disappear after the Dalai Lama. They are waiting for him to die”. Jhonson is the author of, ” Tragedy in Crimson: How the Dalai Lama won the world but lost his battle with China “.
“The truth is that the ruling party wants a new kind of Tibetan lamas not loyal to the Dalai Lama. The Party (communist) wants to sever ties between the lamas of the Tibetan plateau and the Dalai Lama. It is not new, Beijing does the same with the Vatican and Catholic bishops in their territory,” says Johnson.

Budda Movie in March

2011-02-13T06:46:00.001+02:00

Buddha is the debut film for Pokkiri director Puri Jagannath in B-Town. Both the women in the film have significant role that supports the growth of the scripts. The last time we saw Amitabh and Hema spreading magic on the silver screen was with film Baabul (2006).

Amitabh and Hema's pair has been one of the successful pair till date, be it Satte Pe Satta or Baghban, they have always managed to amaze their fans with the simple and refreshing chemistry that they share on-screen.

The movie will reportedly go on floors in the month of March.

Prayers for Buddhist Leader

2011-02-10T03:04:00.001+02:00

No shouting. No crying. No burning of effigies. No jamming national highways. At a place, where demonstration is the order of the day (Jantar Mantar in New Delhi), this is no Dharna (demonstration) but a prayer meet. At a nearby demonstration being held on price rise, the atmosphere is tense and the police on toes. But here, as Buddhist devotees keep coming from across the Delhi, there is hardly any police personnel visible. Kudos to the Lamas and Buddhist community for the restraint it has shown to convince a government which is brutally suppressing the agitation for Gorkhaland in nearby Darjeeling.
Children, young, old, men, women and common people, the devotees are silently praying in the national capital among chants of monks in red robes. The patience and methodology adopted by the Buddhist community despite unwarranted allegations against their most revered religious leader, deserves praise and attention.
The participants in the demonstration are from Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, West Bengal (Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri) and Arunachal Pradesh. The prayer will continue for three days till 11th of February from morning till evening at the same venue.

Pakistan and Buddhists

2011-02-09T03:27:00.001+02:00

THIMPHU/ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on Sunday affirmed Pakistan’s support for comprehensive regional cooperation under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework.

Bashir is leading the Pakistani delegation to the 38th session of the SAARC Standing Committee, which started in the Bhutanese capital Thimpu, according to a press release.

Bashir said that among the priority areas, SAARC should focus on issues related to environment and climate change; energy and food security; alleviation of poverty; promote project based cooperation; develop substantive cooperation with observers, including other regional organisations and extra-regional states that have showed keen interest in SAARC. He said that Pakistan fully supported trans-regional economic, energy and development cooperation.

“Pakistan is happy to note that under the chairmanship of Bhutan and Secretary General Sheel Kant Sharma, we have seen steady progress in various SAARC programmes and activities,” Bashir said. Terrorism and illegal trafficking of drugs posed significant challenges to SAARC member states, he added. The foreign secretary said that Pakistan had hosted an important Ministerial Meeting of SAARC interior/home ministers, which had adopted the Islamabad statement calling for closer cooperation among SAARC states to overcome these challenges. South Asia, today, was witnessing vibrant democracies at work and the formulation of the SAARC Democracy Charter was an important achievement, he added. The SAARC Standing Committee’s meeting will be followed by a meeting of SAARC Council of Ministers.

Separately, Bashir and the Foreign Minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, reaffirmed their resolve to further strengthen and deepen bilateral relations through closer interaction at the government and people-to-people level. During the meeting, Bashir felicitated the Bhutanese government on the excellent arrangements made for hosting the SAARC Council of Ministers and preceding meetings. He expressed the hope that interaction among SAARC member states would provide an effective and viable mechanism for promotion of peace, development and progress in the region. The two highlighted the close relations between Pakistan and Bhutan based on common historical and cultural links, especially the common Gandhara heritage. Both the sides also decided to take steps to increase trade, commercial and economic ties between the nations. Bashir welcomed religious tourism from Bhutan to Swat in Pakistan, the birth place of Guru Padmasambhawa, the Second Buddha. app

Akido in Santa Barbara

2011-02-08T02:03:00.001+02:00

The nonprofit Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara has moved to a new “dojo,” or training hall at 121 Mason St. to better serve its students and the community.

For the past two years, Sensei Lia Suzuki, the chief instructor, has taught classes at the Santa Barbara Buddhist Temple, 1015 E. Montecito St. However, it became apparent last fall that Aikido Kenkyukai had outgrown that space and a new site had to be found.

The move was made possible largely thanks to an anonymous donor who pledged $1,000, provided that the organization could raise the remaining immediate funding necessary to make the move. The additional $2,000 was raised in about three days, largely employing social media, Suzuki said.

Aikido Kenkyukai is subleasing the dojo from judo instructor Steve Hoyt, who also runs his own nonprofit martial arts group.

Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara, a 501(c)(3) California nonprofit public benefit corporation, was founded by Suzuki, a sixth-degree black belt in aikido with nearly 30 years of experience in the martial art.

Suzuki said the goal of Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara is to pass down the true message of aikido and to nurture a better society by creating individuals of responsibility, compassion, judgment, and character.

She teaches the “art of peace” to anyone age 3 or older. The nonprofit also runs various community projects, such as its sponsorship program for low-income and at-risk children who are given the opportunity to train in aikido.

The nonprofit organization is trying to provide South Coast residents with a path toward peace. It encourages the practice of the Japanese nonviolent martial art of aikido, promoting it as a vehicle for self-improvement and spiritual growth, as well as a harmonious way to resolve everyday stress and conflict.

She initially became interested in aikido and trained in Boston. Suzuki is a former competitive horse rider from Pennsylvania. She planned to visit Japan for a short time in 1987 and ended up finding a job as an English teacher, getting married and returning home in 1996.

“Kenkyukai” translates from Japanese to “research group,” Suzuki said. Her nonprofit group has grown steadily, as can be seen by its board members, advisory council volunteers and monetary sponsors.

U.C.S. Bakersfield Acknowledges Professors

2011-02-05T02:06:00.002+02:00

Three faculty members at California State University, Bakersfield have been awarded the 2007-08 Faculty Awards by the CSUB Faculty Senate, University Research Council and the university.

Professor of Anthropology Robert Yohe has received the Outstanding Professor Award and the Millie Ablin Award for Excellence in Teaching; Professor of Advanced Education Kathleen Ritter has received the Faculty Leadership and Service Award; and Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies Tim Vivian has received the Faculty Research Award.

The faculty awards are presented annually to recognize the outstanding contributions of CSUB faculty members to their students, the university and their disciplines. Nominations are submitted by administrators, other faculty members, students and alumni.

Robert Yohe

Yohe first served at CSUB from 1990 – 1993 before being appointed the state archaeologist and administrator of the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office. During this same period he taught anthropology courses at Boise State University as an adjunct lecturer. He returned to CSUB in 1996.

Yohe has conduced research in the deserts of North America for the past 28 years, working on over 150 different archaeological projects. He is considered one of the foremost stone tool experts in the western United States.

Recently, Yohe has spent his summers working as the senior osteologist (bone specialist) for the El-Hibeh Archaeological Project in Egypt. His expertise in human osteology and animal remains are helping to unravel the mystery surrounding 13 mummies and a number of artifacts that he has helped to salvage. His discoveries have been shared with the world on a recent episode of the Discovery Channel’s “The Bone Detective.”

Kathleen Ritter

Ritter’s 32 years at CSUB have had a significant impact on the Kern County community. Hundreds of her students have gone on to establish their own counseling practices, have been employed in most mental health agencies, and have practiced in the public schools. Additionally she has been instrumental in the development and coordination of three master’s degree programs at CSUB.

Nearly 29 years ago Ritter established the CSUB University Counselor Training Clinic. Utilizing marriage and family therapy student clinicians, the clinic offers low-cost counseling services to the Bakersfield community. Each year the students working in the clinic provide over 2,000 hours of individual, couple, family and group counseling services.

Tim Vivian

Vivian is a dedicated scholar in the field of early Christianity, with emphasis on Coptic Studies and Early Christian Monasticism. He has taught at CSUB in a variety of capacities since 1990.

Vivian has published 10 books, more than 60 articles, and over 100 book reviews in a wide variety of scholarly publications. His scholarship is also based on substantial archeological field work. He has participated in two excavations in Egypt, serving as a director and faculty member at the excavation of the monastery of John Kolobos. He served as project historian for the team restoring and studying the 13th century wall paintings at the monastery of Saint Anthony in Egypt.

New York China Exhibit from Forbidden City

2011-02-02T03:13:00.000+02:00

-- The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York put on display treasures of China's famous Emperor Qianlong on Tuesday, offering a glimpse of the emperor's artistic passion and personal sentiments. The exhibition "The Emperor's Private Paradise: Treasures from the Forbidden City" features 90 splendid art items, including silk scrolls, paintings, murals, furniture, Buddhist icons, jades, from the Qianlong Garden built in the northeast corner of Beijing' s Forbidden City

Highlights of the exhibition comprise a portrait of the Emperor Qianlong, a silk panel portraying a Buddhist shrine, magnificent thrones executed with impeccable craftsmanship, and a monumental jade-and-lacquer screen consisting of 16 panels.

"It (the exhibition) tells the story about the private garden of Emperor Qianlong. It not only tells the historical background of that period of time, but also presents the pinnacle of artistic, philosophical and research achievement at that time. I believe Western visitors can get a lot of inspiration from it," Li Ji, Executive Deputy Director of The Palace Museum of China, told Xinhua.

Emperor Qianlong was the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty in China. As a connoisseur of art, a dedicated scholar, and a devout Buddhist, Qianlong created a lavish and secluded garden paradise intended for his retirement, although he never relinquished the throne, and the space remained unchanged and unoccupied since its 1776 completion.

Maxwell K. Hearn, Douglas Dillon Curator for Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Department of Asian Art of the Met museum said the objects will be reinstalled permanently in their original home in the Qianlong Garden of the Forbidden City once the tour concludes.

"So this is a remarkable opportunity to understand the level of craftsmanship, the style, the taste in the exotics, that the emperor indulged in during his lengthy reign," he said.

American Suicide in India Buddhist Center

2011-01-30T02:33:00.002+02:00

JAIPUR, India — An American man has died after setting himself on fire in an abandoned Buddhist centre in northwestern India, leaving a cryptic suicide note that blamed his death on "cruel incidents" in his homeland and India, police said Thursday.
The charred body of Jeff Knaebel, a 71-year-old Californian, was found Wednesday by villagers at a meditation site in Rajasthan state, police superintendent Mohan Singh said.
"I am killing myself because of cruel incidents in both the U.S. and in India," Knaebel wrote in a note, according to police.
The note contained a request that only police handle his body and instructions that the 45,000 rupees ($1,000) in his bag be given to the poor. It did not explain his motivations further.
Knaebel had renounced U.S. citizenship in 2009 and had been living in India since 1995.
Police said he had recently been visiting villages in the Rajasthan to talk to people about the teachings of India's independence leader Mohandas K. Gandhi. He reached the Buddhist centre — in Virat Nagar, a town 90 miles (150 kilometres) north of Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan — three days ago, police said.
Police said the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi of Knaebel's death, Singh said. A spokesman at the U.S. Embassy did not have immediate comment.

Republic Day Celebration

2011-01-28T01:31:00.002+02:00

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's attendance as chief guest at this year's Republic Day celebrations was significant. The last Indonesian chief guest to attend these celebrations was President Sukarno in 1950. With the passing of the Nehru-Sukarno era, India's relationship with Southeast Asia ceased to be a priority in our diplomatic agenda. This was unfortunate.

Indonesia is a major emerging market economy like India and China, and a G20 member. Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are also important players in Asia. Vietnam is another emerging power and potential strategic partner. Reinventing India's relations with countries of the ASEAN region is a critical factor in the new global power balances that is now evolving. It lies at the heart of India's Look East policy. This recent doctrine is in fact a rediscovery of an ancient relationship - India's deep engagement with Southeast Asia well over a thousand years ago - that offers many lessons as well as opportunities for our own times.

This ancient relationship is perhaps best reflected in Angkor Wat. This remarkable temple is the national symbol of Cambodia, but it is also a Hindu temple dedicated to the worship of Vishnu. Built in the 12th century, Angkor marks the pinnacle of Khmer art and civilisation, but the origin of Khmer rule goes back to the eighth century. At its peak, this empire included not only Cambodia, but also large parts of Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia. It was ruled by Hindu god kings, and by their Buddhist descendants from the 12th century onwards. Travel further east to Vietnam, and on the shores of the Pacific you will find the ruins of the Hindu kingdom of Champa. Travel further south to Indonesia, and there you will encounter in central Java the great temple complex of Prambanan, built in the eighth century by Hindu kings of the Sanjaya dynasty.

Like Hinduism, Buddhism too had taken root in Java by the eighth century. The Buddhist Shailendra kings built grand Buddhist temples in Borobudur and also in the environs of Prambanan. Today, Buddhism is the main religion in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, while Islam predominates in Malaysia and Indonesia. Hinduism, Buddhism and later Islam, along with the cultures in which these great religions are embedded, flowed to Southeast Asia from India, led by the growth of trade. There were no Indian military campaigns or conquests, no Indian empires were built. But as trade relations grew, Indian art and iconography, its religious practices and its way of life spread across the region through a process of cultural osmosis.

These relationships were ruptured by the European colonisation of Southeast Asia. With the pendulum of economic power now swinging back from the West to the East, led by China and India, both countries seek to deepen their engagement with the region. As in the past, India's re-engagement with Southeast Asia will be led by economic interests, including trade. India's high growth requires high growth of exports. For that, India has to look to the dynamic ASEAN economies, China and South Korea, not the slow growing economies of the West. Intra-regional trade in ASEAN countries is growing much faster than their trade with the rest of the world and India needs to link itself to this growth.

Buddhists Celebrate in Sri Lanka

2011-01-25T05:57:00.001+02:00

A number of Tamil Buddhist organizations in Chennai have expressed and rendered their support for the Sri Lankan Independence celebrations being organized in Chennai, Chennai Mahabodhi Center Head - Venerable Kalawane Mahanama Thera said.

An official ceremony to commemorate the Sri Lankan Independence Day is being organized at the Deputy Sri Lankan High Commission in India to be held on February 4. Another event is scheduled to be held on February 5 at the Chennai Mahabodhi Centre with the participation of Sri Lankans residing in Chennai as well as Indian Buddhist organizations.

According to Mahanama Thera, the preparations for the Sri Lankan Independence Day were being successfully carried out at the moment. Speaking further Mahanama Thera who also spoke about several programs that are being carried out by the Mahabodhi center in Chennai said that they had taken steps to preach dharma in Tamil during special occasions.

Mahanama Thera also said that programs to create awareness and increase knowledge on meditation and Buddhism were also organized by the Mahabodhi in Chennai and they also receive a good response for the temporary ordination program which they carry out on Tamil children in order to provide a deeper understanding on Buddhism.

Buddhist is Politically Active

2011-01-21T01:55:00.000+02:00

Samana Photirak, leader of the Santi Asoke sect, has vowed to lead a "neo protest" to press the government to change the way it handles the Cambodian issue.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Photirak yesterday predicted the sect's strength of commitment would be enough to force the government to review its handling of territorial disputes with the neighbouring country.

The sect, which has close affiliations with the yellow shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), recently joined the Thai Patriots Network rally in front of Government House to pressure the government to help bring home seven Thai nationals being held in Cambodia on illegal entry charges.

The group has hundreds of bare-footed faithful camped at Government House and says it can call on the support of thousands more for what could be a prolonged campaign.

The sect's cause encompasses not just the fate of the Thai seven but the thornier issue of Thai-Cambodia border demarcation.

The seven were arrested in Cambodia in late December. All but one, Thai Patriots Network coordinator Veera Somkwamkid, are now free on bail.

Photirak said the sect's call for the release of the seven detained Thais was based on compassion for those who share similar fates.

Some members of the sect had been affected by the border disputes. They are scattered in northeastern and eastern provinces bordering Cambodia.

Santi Asoke also has a branch called the Sisa Asoke Buddhist community in Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket, which borders Cambodia.

But Photirak stressed the mission was now bigger than that.

"At issue is the loss of territory," he said.

"It is a national problem. We cannot accept the ways the government is managing things. The Santi Asoke followers cannot allow the government to continue what it has been doing and see Thai territory being gradually occupied."

Photirak said the rally was a "neo protest" using a non-violent and knowledge-based approach.

"It is not a 'mob' thing. It is chaste and pure. It is peaceful and polite. It sticks to objectives, presents truth and shares knowledge. It doesn't focus on quantity."

He insisted the Santi Asoke's rally was justified given the government's management of the border issues.

"We gave them enough time. The [year] 2000 memorandum of understanding [on the demarcation of the border] is still in place. We have the Joint Border Commission and the longer this drags on the more territory we lose. If we let this carry on, we'll lose all [of the disputed areas]."

Photirak admitted his movement might not be able to achieve the expected results but said he would do his best to make the public understand the issue better.

"Our protest will be different from that of other groups," he said.

Photirak said it took work to mount a protracted protest but it was necessary when the government was not doing what it was mandated to do.

He said taking on the Abhisit administration was challenging as the government seemed to have the media and academics on its side.

He also said the rally was not driven by politics, apparently referring to the New Politics Party which was formed by PAD leaders.

Photirak said his group would camp in front of Government House and wait for a PAD rally on Jan 25.

The PAD postponed its rally from Dec 11 last year to next Tuesday.

The campaign is to protest against possible parliamentary endorsement of minutes from previous meetings of the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission.

The minutes are based on the 2000 memorandum of understanding that governs the survey and demarcation of the land boundary between the two countries.

The PAD claims the memorandum, which recognises a French map of 1:200,000 scale, puts Thailand at a disadvantage.

It filed a complaint with the Administrative Court yesterday, accusing the government of putting Thai territory at risk by its observance of the memorandum.

Photirak said it was just hearsay that the Santi Asoke sect was difficult and obstinate.

"We stand for the public interest and never quit. Would you consider this being stubborn?"

Buddhist Fair in India

2011-01-17T20:42:00.001+02:00

Buddhist devotees and representatives of various trusts, societies and cultural organisations participated in a grand 'Buddhist Fair' in Visakhapatnam.

Maturi Srinivas, organising member of the fair, said that this is the place where Buddhist monks lived and the fair is organised to celebrate Makar Sankranti.

"It is an auspicious Buddhist place because this is the place where the Buddhist monks lived and they propagated Buddhism to the country. In India, Andhra Pradesh has a special place and in Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam is one of the famous Buddhist ancient places where Buddhism was cherished and propagated here. This is the day where thousands of people come here to commemorate the day of Sankranti and this is the day where all the Buddhists come together to propagate Buddhism," he added.

Khemaacharaathero, a monk said that he prayed for the wellbeing of the mankind and everybody should live happily with peace and harmony.

"All the human beings should live happily with peace. I prayed for world peace. We should work for humanity. We all are one," he added.

Few centuries back the place was the center of Buddhist culture and learning. The name of the village "Sankaram" was derived from the word "Sangharama" which meant monastery.

The place is filled with ancient monolithic sculptures, rock cut caves, ruins of prayer and meditation halls, bricks build structural edifices, resting places on the twin hills of Bojjanna Konda and Lingala Konda. (ANI)

Shaolin Temple Opening 40 Centers

2011-01-12T00:48:00.001+02:00

The famed Shaolin temple in China, where Zen Buddhism had originated, has decided to open 40 centres to meet the rising demand for kung fu and, by a stretch, for Zen Buddhism. The man who is spearheading the expansion programme is the abbot of the temple. Interestingly, in the ostensibly atheistic communist China, there is outrage that Zen Buddhism is being commercialised. The abbot has rebutted the criticism saying that there was no profit motive, and it was just a design to meet the kung fu desires of people spread across the world.

There is plenty of irony embedded in all this, but this could be turned into a delightful Zen koan, the pithy riddle that carries contradiction as the kernel of its truth. Business is good as long as it is not meant to generate profits, which is indeed crass. At a more mundane level, all that it means is that even as China is under the deluge of change, the esoteric Buddhist temple is also being swept by it. And it also meets with the essential Buddhist tenet that change is the only permanent thing. The Shaolin cult’s market success is then no anomaly.

Dalai Lama Talks Buddha's Words

2011-01-11T03:31:00.001+02:00

Dharamshala: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tibet's political and spiritual leader will address Tuesday (11 January) the ongoing conference on the translation of one of the Tibet's most precious treasure of the Buddha's teachings known as 'Tengyur' at the Central University of Tibetan Studies (CUTS) in Sarnath.
The four-day 'Tengyur Translation Conference: In the Tradition of the 17 Pandits of Nalanda', which began on 8 January, is being jointly organised by CUTS and the American Institute of Buddhist Studies at Columbia University.

The conference is aimed at focusing on issues pertaining in particular to the translation of the Tibetan Tengyur not only into English, but also Sanskrit, Hindi, Chinese and other languages, according to the organisers.

The conference is part of the long-term project initiated by the American Institute of Buddhist Studies at Columbia University and Tibet House US of translating the Tengyur into English and other modern languages, and to publish the many works in a collection called 'The Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences'. The project received the support of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for its historic initiative to support, create, and publish authoritative English translations, studies, and editions of the entite Tibetan Tengyur and its associated literature.

The works of the foremost Indian scholars of Nalanda tradition are presently preserved in the collection of their writings known as Tengyur in Tibetan translation. It took teams of Indian masters and great Tibetan translators over four centuries to accomplish the historic task of translating them into Tibetan. Most of these books were later lost in their Sanskrit originals, and relatively few were translated into Chinese. The Tengyur is truly one of the Tibet's most precious treasures, a mine of understanding that Tibetans have preserved in Tibet for the benefit of the whole world.

The Buddhist culture that flourished in Tibet can rightly be seen to derive from the pure tradition of Nalanda, which comprises the most complete presentation of the Buddhist teachings. Foremost Indian scholars of Nalanda Monastic University such as Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Aryaasanga, Dharmakirti, Candrakirti and Shantideva wrote the scriptures that we Tibetan Buddhists study and practise.

"When translated into Tibetan, these works in turn inspired Tibet's own enlightenment renaissance. Accordingly, the Buddhist teachings in these Tengyur texts are deemed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and many other great Tibetan masters to be of the highest value," the organisers said in a statement.

Expressing his support to the American Institute of Buddhist Studies' Tengyur translation project in 2007, His Holiness the Dalai Lama had said: "At the present time, when there is a great emphasis on scientific and technological progress, it is extremely important that those of us who follow the Buddha should rely on a sound understanding of his teaching, for which the great works of the renowned Nalanda scholars provide an indispensable basis."

"... It surely will require the intelligent and creative efforts of generations of translators from every tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, in the spirit of the scholars of Nālandā, although we may hope that using computers may help complete the work more quickly," His Holiness said.

"As it grows, The Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences series will serve as an invaluable reference library of the Buddhist Sciences and Arts. This collection of literature has been of immeasurable benefit to us Tibetans over the centuries, so we are very happy to share it with all the people of the world. As someone who has been personally inspired by the works it contains, I firmly believe that the methods for cultivating wisdom and compassion originally developed in India and described in these books preserved in Tibetan translation will be of great benefit to many scholars, philosophers, and scientists, as well as ordinary people," he added.

Ex Buddist Now California Governor

2011-01-07T03:06:00.001+02:00

Democrat Jerry Brown was sworn in today as California's 39th governor, returning to the office he left 28 years ago but inheriting a much different and more troubled state than the one he led then.

The man who once was California's most famous bachelor took the oath of office after being introduced by his wife of five years, former Gap Inc. executive Anne Gust Brown, inside Sacramento Memorial Auditorium.

She held a Bible that was her grandfather's and was used during her wedding with Brown.

Brown has predicted a grim future for the financially beleaguered state. Where his predecessor, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, expressed optimism at every turn, Brown has been realistic since winning the Nov. 2 election. California has faced several years of deep budget deficits and is confronting another estimated at $28 billion through June 2012.

Its general fund is $15 billion less than it was just three years ago, reflecting a sharp drop in tax revenue from a recession that has battered the economy of the nation's most populous state. Brown, 72, said the choices facing California's 38.8 million people are painful.

"The year ahead will demand courage and sacrifice," he said after taking the oath from California Supreme Court Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye.

Brown noted the recession has taken a toll on California and polls show most voters believe the state is on the wrong track. He urged lawmakers with both political parties to get out of what he called their "comfort zones" and to "rise above ideology" for the good of the state.

The inauguration was a scaled-down affair, reflecting the austerity of the former Jesuit seminarian and Buddhism student. Brown's speech lasted about 15 minutes, and the only other speaker listed on the one-page program was his wife.

Brown's style contrasts past governors, some of whom held inaugural balls after their swearing-in ceremony. Schwarzenegger even threw himself what he called a "Wrap Party" last month to celebrate his seven years in office, complete with some of his Hollywood buddies.

Even during Brown's first term as governor, he preached an era of limits, saying government cannot deliver everything people expect from it. He lived that philosophy himself, ditching the governor's mansion for a sparsely furnished apartment and driving a Plymouth instead of riding in a limousine.

Schwarzenegger and former first lady Maria Shriver, former Gov. Gray Davis, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were among the roughly 3,000 people attending.

After winning office last fall, Brown promised to travel California and hold what he called a civic dialogue about what Californians want from their government and what they are willing to pay for it. After voters rejected an $18-a-year license fee to stabilize state park funding, Brown declared that Californians were "in no mood to add to their burdens."

Yet his press aides have not quashed speculation that Brown will try to call a special election this spring to extend a set of temporary tax hikes approved in 2009. Brown said he would not raise taxes without voter approval, but will need some Republican help to reach the two-thirds legislative vote necessary to place any tax or fee measure on the ballot.

Brown responded to reporters' questions about a possible special election as he left the auditorium.

"I'll confer with the legislative leaders, and we'll work something out that makes sense, but we don't have a lot of time and we've gotta cover a lot of ground," Brown said before heading into his nearby rented loft.

The new governor will release his budget proposal for the coming fiscal year next Monday, when he is expected to deliver voters a series of stark choices. He said his budgets would not contain "smoke and mirrors," an apparent reference to spending plans signed by Schwarzenegger over the past few years that often contained accounting gimmicks and unrealistic revenue assumptions as a way to balance the budgets on paper.

He promised his version would be painful.

"It's a tough budget for tough times," he said.

Buddha Statue for India

2011-01-06T03:07:00.001+02:00

The Indian High Commission in a press release says: On the auspicious occasion of Unduvap Poya and as per agreed in the Joint Declaration issued during the State visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Indian High Commission would like to announce that the Indian Government has commissioned a 16 foot high statue of The Buddha in the Sarnath style from the Gupta period which is proposed to be installed at the entrance of the International Buddhist Museum complex at Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. An agreement to this effect has been signed between the Indian External Affairs Ministry and Ms Icons India, for the preparation of the statue. Diyawadana Nilame of the Sri Dalada Maligawa Pradeep Nilanga Dela Bandara has welcomed the proposal to install the Sarnath Buddha statue at the Museum in Kandy.

The Sarnath Buddha statue is an exquisite sculpture based on the famous 5th century Gupta period statue from Sarnath, where The Buddha preached His first sermon after attaining enlightenment. The statue in the Dharmachakra pravartana mudra (turning the wheel of law) and its pedestal will be carved out of a single piece of beige-coloured Chunar sandstone.

Other activities forming part of the joint commemoration of the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi include the establishment of an Indian Gallery at the International Buddhist Museum and the organization of an International Buddhist Conference. An expert appointed by the National Museum of India is working on putting together Indian Buddhist artefacts that portray the Buddhist art, culture and heritage of India in its entirety.

The process of identifying the important statues/artefacts related to Buddhism in India has started and the fabrication of replicas is being undertaken. An International Buddhist Conference will also be organized in Kandy early next year (before end of March) with the support of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR).

Guru Talking Peace

2011-01-04T03:34:00.001+02:00

Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Jan 3 (IANS) The four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism are trying to find common ground to carry forward Lord Buddha's teachings in way they can be used to resolve geo-political conflicts, says Thrinley Thaye Dorje, the 17th spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

'The awareness that the four schools have to find common ground is getting stronger. It will happen because unity among the Buddhist sects is crucial to world peace,' 27-year-old Thrinley Dorje told IANS in an interview in Bodh Gaya, the seat of Gautama Buddha's enlightenment.

'It can solve conflicts because the teachings of Buddha are based on bringing inner and outer peace,' he added.

The four schools are the ancient Nyingma tradition, the Karma Kagyu school, the Sakya school and the Gelug school. The last three are relatively new when compared to the eighth century Nyingma tradition.

The Karmapa (the high monk) was in the town to preside over the commemoration of the 900th anniversary of the Karma Kagyu school of Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet. The order traces its lineage to north Indian monk Tilopa and was formally founded by Dusum Kyenpa (1110-1193) - known as the high monk with the black crown. The Karma Kagyu sect manages the affairs of the Rumtek monastery in Sikkim.

Thrinley Dorje believes that although traces of Buddhism have existed in the Himalayas for a long time, globalisation and modernism have helped it spread on a larger scale.

'Globalisation has brought the world together. Even 45 years ago, Buddhism was not heard of outside East and Southeast Asia,' he said.

He said, 'In general, all the four (Tibetan) Buddhist schools are built on the same foundations'.

'They believe in carrying the teachings of the Buddha forward. The difference is in the way of interpreting and teaching the tenets of the Buddha. Our way of teaching is transmission which emphasises on meditation. Our lineage is one of meditation,' the Karmapa said.

The seat of the 17th Karmapa of the Karma Kagyu sect has been a subject of controversy. After the death of the 16th Karmapa in 1981, two young masters, 27-year-old Thrinley Dorje and 25-year-old Ogyen Trinley Dorje, have been contenders to the post. Both have been enthroned as the spiritual heads.

The Chinese government and the Dalai Lama however approve of Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Born in Tibet, both the lamas fled to India in the 1990s and have been identified as reincarnations of great Buddhist spiritual masters.

Thrinley Dorje does not miss his homeland or feel distanced from Tibet.

'There is not much of a distance because globalisation has strengthened bonds between Tibet and India. My bonds are stronger from the perspective that when I meditate, the physical gap becomes a relative thing - it's nothing more than an idea,' said the Buddhist master, who was born in Tibet.

'In our state of meditation, we (Tibet and I) are very much connected. It is like the way I connect to my students at the opposite side of the globe through meditation,' he added.

Thrinley Dorje has meditated in isolation for 12 years before being deemed fit for the post. He was identified as a holy reincarnation at the age of two and a half by a monk of the Sakya Pa school in Tibet, who informed the Karma Kagyu monastery in Nepal about the 'boy and his previous life'.

He was led through the rites of passage after an early initiation by a Kagyu red hat lama, Shamarpa Mipham Chokyi Lodro, who traditionally instructs the Karmapa on the complex doctrines of the sect.

'Tibet has four major schools of Vajrayana Buddhism (that incorporates tantrik Buddhism),' he said.

Thrinley Dorje said he was 'trying to make Buddhism relevant to youth'.

'The awareness about the faith is rising worldwide and it is one of the ways to reach out to the people. The world finds it easy to emotionally connect to Buddhism,' he said.

One way that could help youth harness the power of the Buddha in them was to 'remain close to the family', the master said.

'Youth must respect their parents and remain devoted to them. Respect and devotion to parents are vital to Gautama's teachings, especially in modern times,' Thrinley Dorje said.

'The modern times are very exciting and interesting. And if one does not engage in the right way, it can be quite harmful. The transition to modern times must be peaceful,' he added.

He advocated 'compassion, tolerance and patience for the monks in Tibet, who were being persecuted.' 'If we have compassion, tolerance and peace, situations change because you will not repeat history,' he said.

Pray for Peace in 2011

2010-12-31T02:23:00.000+02:00

Pray for Peace - services are around the country. Science of Mind Church usually knows where there is a peace vigil.

Erie's Tibetan Buddhist center will host a First Light 2011 nondenominational offering of prayers for peace on New Year's Day
The hourlong service of meditation, chanting and candle lighting will begin Saturday at 7:30 a.m. at the center, 722 W. Eighth St., according to a news release.

Members will be available afterward to answer questions and share information about the center, an affiliate of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.

To learn more, call 449-1816 or e-mail juliazen02@yahoo.com.

Buddhism in Sri Lanka

2010-12-27T04:18:00.001+02:00

The Buddhism practiced in Sri Lanka, better known as Sinhala-Buddhism (or Mahavamsa-Buddhism) is different from the Theravada Buddhism practiced in other countries such as Thailand, Cambodia and so on. The Buddhists in these countries follow only the Buddhist scriptures Tripitaka (Viniya, Sutta, Abhidhamma), whereas in Sri Lanka the 'Mahavamsa,' which was written by one of the Mahavihara monks (Ven. Mahanama) more than 1000 years after the passing away of Lord Buddha is also considered as a part of the Buddhist scriptures, although it deals mostly with mythical or supernatural Buddhist history, some episodes of which are copied from the 'Mahabaratha' and 'Ramayana.' Since the Buddhist scriptures (Tripitaka) and the mythical Buddhist history (Mahavamsa) were both written in the Pali language, a Buddhist layperson who does not understand Pali cannot understand the difference between the two and, therefore, he/she believes everything that the Buddhist monks preach, to be the true words of Buddha.

Due to ignorance, even the present day Sinhala-Buddhists still believe that they are blood relatives of Buddha because, according to the Mahavamsa, their forefather Pandu-Vasudeva belongs to the Sakya clan, and is a relative of the Buddha where as the historians believe that the term ‘Pandu’ in Pali means Pandyans.

According to Buddhism, a person ordained as a Bikkhu should practice Ahimsa (non-violence), Karuna (compassion), Metta (affection), and Maithriya (loving-kindness) towards fellow humans, (irrespective of race or religion), not only by words but also in his thoughts and action. Unfortunately in Sri Lanka, due to the influence of the Mahavamsa, a Buddhist Bikkhu is at liberty to engage in racist politics and promote Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism and hatred, as we see today.

Protecting Buddhism

There was NO Buddhism in Sri Lanka until Emperor Asoka's missionary monks led by Mahinda converted the Hindu (Siva worshipping) Naga King Tissa into a Buddhist in the 2nd century BC. Similarly, there was NO Sinhala race/tribe in Sri Lanka until the Mahavihara monks created it in the 5th century AD. When Hindu/Brahmanical influence posed a serious challenge to Buddhism and when Buddhism started to lose popular support and the patronage from the rulers, the Buddhist institutions in India came under attack. The Mahavihara monks of Anuradapura including Ven. Mahanama, the author of the Pali chronicle Mahavamsa and a close relative of the Buddhist Naga king Dhatusena witnessed the decline and disorientation of Buddhism in India. The events that took place in India against Buddhism must have prompted the Mahavihara monks in Sri Lanka to come up with a plan/strategy to protect Buddhism. Due to their strong devotion to Buddhism and desire to consolidate and protect this religion in Sri Lanka they have decided to write the Pali chronicles Deepavamsa/Mahavamsa making Sri Lanka a Dammadeepa/Sinhaladvipa (chosen land of Buddha where Buddhism will prevail for 5000 years) and creating the Sinhala race by integrating all the Buddhists from different tribes/ethnic groups into one race and making them the sustainers of Buddhism (Gautama Buddha's chosen people) to protect Buddhism in Sri Lanka for 5000 years until the next Maithriya Buddha arrive. With the patronage of the Buddhist Kings, it is the Mahavihara monks who assimilated all the Buddhists from many different tribes together and called them Sihala (followers of Mythical Vijaya). There may have been instances where the convicted criminals from India (Bengal/Gujarat) who were exiled would have sleeked asylum in the island and would have been allowed to settle and got assimilated with the local population, but there is NO historical evidence what so ever to prove Vijaya's arrival with 700 men or to say there were Sinhalese during the Early Historic period. The term 'Sihala' itself first appeared ONLY in the 5th Century AD Pali chronicles Deepavamsa/Mahavamsa and that also ONLY twice in the beginning chapters. To date, no archaeological evidence has been found to prove ‘Hela' or 'Sihala' or ‘Sinhala' existed before that or anything about Vijaya's arrival. Only the Mahavamsa Tika that was composed very much later to interpret the Mahavamsa, mentions that it was adopted from the mysterycal ‘Vamsa texts’ known as ‘Sihala Atthakatha’ (collection of Sinhala verbal stories). Very strangely, most of the mythical/supernatural stories from the so called ‘Sihala Atthakatha Vamsa texts’ are very similar to those found in the Indian Epics and Puranas such as the Mahabaratha/Ramayana. Ultimately, the Mahavamsa has transformed the Buddha into a special patron of Sinhala-Buddhism, an ethnic religion created in Sri Lanka.

3 Imprisoned Monks

2010-12-23T02:54:00.000+02:00

Tibetans are increasingly concerned about the fate of three senior Buddhist monks who were imprisoned following a 2008 crackdown on anti-government riots in Tibet, an overseas rights monitoring group said Wednesday.

The three were senior religious teachers at Drepung monastery in Lhasa, whose monks were at the forefront of the March 2008 protests that started out as peaceful marches before exploding into violence days later.

The U.S.-based International Campaign for Tibet said in a news release that their whereabouts remain unknown and there is growing concern among Tibetans about their welfare.

The three were listed as: Jampel Wangchuk, 55, the disciplinarian at Drepung's Loseling college, who is believed to have been given a life term; Konchok Nyima, 43, the scripture teacher at Drepung's Gomang college, sentenced to 20 years; and Ngawang Choenyi, 38, scripture teacher at Drepung's Ngakpa college, sentenced to 15 years.

The International Campaign for Tibet said the three were not believed to have taken part in the demonstrations and it was not known what crimes they had been charged with.

China frequently uses vaguely defined laws against separatism and subversion to imprison political and religious dissidents. However, the lack of a clear political connection in the three cases has raised concern that authorities are using the 2008 protests as a pretext to attack Tibetan Buddhism, the International Campaign for Tibet said.

Calls to Drepung monastery and the Lhasa police spokesman rang unanswered Wednesday. Nyima, an office director at Lhasa's bureau of ethnic and religious affairs, who like many Tibetans uses only one name, said he had no news on the three. He recorded their names and details and promised to relay any information on them.

The 2008 protests, which later spread to other Tibetan inhabited regions in western China, marked the largest uprising against Chinese rule in decades. The government says at least 22 people died in Lhasa violence. Tibetan rights groups say nearly 140 Tibetans were killed.

Authorities responded with a massive security clampdown, sending hundreds of armed police into Drepung and other monasteries and detaining an unknown number of monks and lay people. Tibet was closed to all foreign visitors for months and security remains extremely tight. Foreign journalists are required to apply for special permission to travel there and access is usually provided only through rarely scheduled government organized trips.

Beijing blamed the 2008 violence on outside agitators linked to exiled Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama">Dalai Lama, who denied any involvement. Many Tibetans remain loyal to the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and resent heavy-handed Chinese rule, including stringent controls over Buddhist monasteries and restrictions on religious practices.

China says Tibet has been part of its territory for centuries and sent troops to occupy the region following the 1949 communist seizure of power. Historians say Tibet was functionally independent for most of that time under the rule of a succession of Dalai Lama">Dalai Lamas.

European Buddhism

2010-12-21T01:33:00.001+02:00

Guernseyman Richard Moorman became a Buddhist in 1997 but said he had been "flirting with the idea" since 1971.
He explained that in that time he had researched the faith and had been practising elements of it before his official conversion.
He said the Guernsey Buddhist Group held meetings open to anyone from any branch of Buddhism or any faith.
Richard said: "We've had Zen and Tibetan Buddhists and people of other religions come to our meetings."

He explained: "They enjoy the chanting, the meditating and the things we do."
Even though meditation is a central part of Buddhist practice Richard said it had its origins in the pre-Buddhist religions of northern India where the original Buddha was born, and today was practised by many people both as a religious activity and in secular life.
He said: "Meditation has been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce stress levels - it's a very good thing to do irrespective of the religious association...it sharpens powers of concentration."

Buddhists use beads as part of chanting and meditation
Richard decided to make the step of taking on Buddhism in an official capacity following his step-daughter's move to the faith and, along with his wife, began practising a Japanese derivation of the religion.
He explained when they converted to Buddhism they took part in "taking refuge" which involves accepting "the Buddha as your teacher, the Dharma as his teaching and the Sangha as the community of Buddhists".
Richard said Buddhists have "a profound respect for all sincere religious practice".

Using the example of Christmas he said they respected Christians and their celebration of Jesus' birth.
Richard said as he lives in a Christian culture he still celebrated the event: "It's not a religious festival for me but its certainly a time to enjoy being with family."
He said the main teaching of Buddhism is: "We don't exist in isolation to everything else, we are one with everything and everything is one with us... once that becomes a profound insight, it produces great happiness."

Chinese Premier Knows Buddhism

2010-12-19T19:16:00.001+02:00

Berlin, Dec 19 (IANS) Leaked US diplomatic cables portray the anointed Chinese leader Xi Jinping as incorruptible, disinterested in extra marital affairs and a Communist hardliner who is 'redder than reds'.

Der Spiegel, the German magazine which reproduced the cables leaked by whistleblower web site WikiLeaks, says money seems unimportant to Xi as he apparently has enough. He likes the US and was at one time fascinated by the mysteries of Buddhism and Asian martial arts.

On Oct 18, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party appointed 57-year-old Xi Jinping vice-president of the powerful Central Military Commission. This makes it all but certain that he will succeed Hu Jintao as Communist Party leader and Chinese president in 2012, Der Spiegel said.

The US embassy in Beijing has remarkably precise information about China's future leader. Xi is 'extremely ambitious', and a good man, according to a US source.

He also has a privileged upbringing.

Xi is the son of former guerilla fighter and later deputy prime minister Xi Zhongxun. Xi is a 'princeling', one of an influential class of sons and daughters of loyal functionaries that steadily rise up the Communist Party hierarchy under their parents' influence.

During Mao Zedong's cultural revolution Xi's father was purged and young Xi sent to the countryside.

In the early 1970s Xi and many princelings were permitted to return to Beijing. But while many of his young contemporaries set about enjoying their newfound freedom, 'he chose to survive by becoming redder than red', the US embassy's source says.

Xi realised that he could only become a career politician if he temporarily removed himself from Beijing's power clique and gathered experience in rural areas, US cables say.

He believed that his father's connections weren't enough - and that the risk of making too many enemies in the capital was too great.

He slowly worked his way up the ladder in Heibei, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. Because Fujian faces the breakaway island of Taiwan, US dispatches say, Xi has an understanding for the plight of the Taiwanese people.

During his time in eastern China, Xi developed a fascination with the mysticism of Buddhism, the Qigong breathing technique and martial arts. It appears he also believed in supernatural forces.

In 2007 the leadership made him the Party leader in Shanghai. At the time, the Communist Party was embroiled in a corruption scandal and desperately needed a clean pair of hands. He was seen as incorruptible and as having sufficient authority to clean up the party's ranks.

Xi spent just seven months in China's financial centre before the leadership brought him to Beijing and anointed him vice president.

'Xi had promotion to the Center in mind from day one,' a US Embassy dispatch says. He is said to be a realist and a pragmatist, one who keeps his cards close to his chest before coldly playing his ace when the time is right.

Xi appears uninterested in drinking and extramarital affairs, the pursuits preferred by many high-ranking officials. Women consider him boring, a trait he shares with his stern superior, President Hu Jintao.

Xi, US cables say, knows his own country extremely well. He is well aware how corrupt many of his comrades are. He abhors the pursuit of money, much as he does China's nouveau-riche. His greatest fear is that the new, free-market era will rob people of their dignity and respect.

But he refrains from showing political initiative or promoting his own ideas, realising that such things are not good for a career within the Chinese Communist Party.

In spite of Xi's background and current position, the current Party chairman and president, Hu does not consider him his successor.

Hu's favourite for the post is Li Keqiang, whose career began in the Communist youth organization. But a group of older comrades, including former party chairman Jiang Zemin, reject their president's preferred successor.

Hu relented, and now it is thought that Li will soon replace Wen Jiabao as prime minister instead.

Xi, the winner of this power struggle, thinks little of democratic reform. He is convinced that only a small elite can maintain China's social stability and lead the country to new heights.

Buddhist Temple Fire is Political Headache

2010-12-18T04:51:00.001+02:00

The destruction of a wooden gate in a Buddhist temple by arson, Thursday, has put a negative spin on the already chilled relations between Korean Buddhism and President Lee Myung-bak, a devoted Christian.

The fire, which reduced Cheonwangmun gate in a 1300-year-old Beomeo temple in Busan to ashes, broke out amid escalating tension between the second largest religion of the country and President Lee’s Grand National Party (GNP) following a budget cut for “templestay” programs in the process of the GNP’s railroading of next year’s state budget early this month.

It was the latest in a series of cases deepening Buddhists’ hostility against the ruling party and the government during Lee’s presidency.

Police have opened an investigation into the fire and placed a man spotted on a surveillance camera video on a wanted list since flames began to engulf the wooden gate upon his departure from the temple.

Police believe there was no political motive behind the incident. Yet, Buddhist circles seem to be trying to take advantage of the case to gain leverage in its protest against what they call “Christian-friendly” President Lee and his administration.

A group of monks held a press conference in Seoul Thursday morning, just hours after the fire was extinguished. They called for an extensive probe into the incident and condemned President Lee for his “biased” religious policies.

“The number of incidents meant to hurt the properties and value of Buddhism has surged since the Lee administration took over,” an association for young Buddhists said in a statement. “The incident came as a great surprise because it took place at a time when the entire Buddhist circle was raising voices against the ruling party’s short-sighted passage of bills regarding the templestay budget.”

Currently, all Buddhists leaders refuse to have any official meeting with those from the GNP, under the direction of Ven. Jaseung, chief executive of Jogye, the largest Buddhist order. In a statement issued last Friday, Jaseung denounce the budget reduction and urged all Buddhist leaders “not to meet with any figures from the ruling camp.”

Following the incident, the ruling camp moved first to break the deadlock.

Kim Moo-sung, floor leader of the GNP, hurriedly visited the site of the fire about 400 kilometers south of Seoul on the same day it broke out. Kim, an aide to President Lee, offered commiseration to the angered monks there and promised that his party will fully cooperate to restore the burnt structure in the first high-profile meeting between a ruling party lawmaker and a senior monk since the boycotting.

During a lunch with Ven. Jeongyeo, head of Beomeo temple, Kim apologized for the budget reduction and said his party was suffering from “a sense of guilt.”

“We have set plans to secure additional budget for the programs,” Kim told the head monk. “Please forgive us and, if necessary, berate us.”

Presidential spokesman Hong Sang-pyo also talked with the head monk over the phone and delivered President Lee’s message regarding the restoration plan.

However, Ven. Jeongyeo’s meeting with GNP leaders also drew criticism from the Jogye Order leaders who have declared that they will not meet any of GNP members.

Since Lee’s inauguration in early 2008, Buddhist groups have often clashed with his administration over its religious policies and Lee’s alleged bias as a Christian. Lee is well known as an elder of the Christian Somang church in Seoul. The conflict reached the highest level in August 2008 when tens of thousands of monks and Buddhists took to downtown Seoul to hold a massive rally against Lee’s “biased” religious policies.

China's Premier Quotes Gandhi

2010-12-16T23:48:00.001+02:00

Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao virtually launched a charm offensive as he quoted the Upanishads, praised Mahatma Gandhi saying he has always lived in his heart and fondly remembered students calling him "grandpa" during his visit to a school here.

During his 30-minute address at the Indian Council of World Affairs, Wen also drew parallels between Chinese calligraphy and Yoga, and noted the influence of Buddhism on Chinese culture.

Recalling his visit to the Tagore International School last evening, the 68-year-old Chinese leader said he felt as if he was in his country when he was addressed as 'Grandpa Wen'.

"Children back home call me 'Grandpa Wen'," he said. "The Upanishad says 'the truth is above all and is the common foundation of conception'," the Chinese premier said as he went on the describe his "friendship" with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"Prime Minister Singh and I are old friends. We have had long discussions on a dozen of occasions and forged a sincere friendship," he said.

The Chinese leader said he could see Mahatma Gandhi's unyielding image and clear eyes as he laid a wreath at the Raj Ghat memorial.

"For peace and justice, Mahatma Gandhi travelled from one village to another with firm steps, knowing no fatigue. He was intrepid, and so much so that no force or individual could make him stop," he said.

"This great man, a man of love and integrity, has always lived in my heart," Wen said.

Paying tributes to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, he said the sage poet forged a deep friendship with China's literary giants Lu Xun, Liang Qichao and Xu Zhimo.

Drawing similarities between Yoga and calligraphy, Wen said while Yogic postures signify the union of soul and physical strength, the Chinese art demonstrated the strength of hand and that of the mind.

Memorial for Fallen Warriors

2010-12-15T02:31:00.001+02:00

NANJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- About 5,000 Chinese and foreigners gathered Monday in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, to mourn hundreds of thousands of people who were killed by invading Japanese troops 73 years ago.

Participants in the ceremony stood in silent tribute, offered wreaths and bowed in front of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre, with sirens wailing in the drizzling morning on Monday, the 73rd anniversary of the massive slaughter.

"The Japanese soldiers invaded Nanjing when I was four, and they killed some of my family members. On the anniversary of the massacre every year I would come here to express my grief," said Sun Xuelan, a 77-year-old survivor, who is confined to a wheelchair.

Japanese troops occupied Nanjing on Dec. 13, 1937 and began a six-week massacre. Records show more than 300,000 people -- not only disarmed soldiers , but also civilians -- were killed.

Mikhalchev Mikhail, deputy director of the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Russia, said, "In the history of human civilization, some facts shouldn't be forgotten, and the Nanjing Massacre was one of them."

He noted that the tragedy had become a symbol of the Chinese people's bitter suffering and prompted all people to learn the preciousness of peace."

"We should remember the history, but not hatred. Peace is a common desire of all human beings," said Nanjing citizen Yu Hong , who attended the ceremony.

Besides the memorial ceremony, Buddhist monks from China and Japan held a religious service Monday at the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

The assembly was attended by 15 monks from six Buddhist temples in Japan, more than 50 monks and Buddhist believers from China and thirty Massacre survivors and relatives of victims.

The monks chanted Buddhist prayers of mourning and prayed for peace.

Aori Take Shuna, abbot of Japan's Reiunti Temple, read a poem he wrote to honor the dead and prayed for long-term friendship between the peoples of China and Japan.

Yamauchi Sayoko, who was a representative of a sect of Japanese Buddhism, said that the people of Japan, which invaded and occupied China in the 1930s and 1940s, were deeply regretful for the victims of the war and sincerely hoped such a tragedy would never be repeated.

Built in 1985, the memorial hall annually records five million visitors since it was expanded and renovated in 2007.

Zhu Chengshan, curator of the hall, said that every year when the anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre occurs , nearly 10,000 Nanjing citizens would swarm the hall and spontaneously mourn the victims.

On Sunday, workers began to extend a memorial wall at the memorial hall on which names of those killed are engraved.

After the extension, the wall would have 10,324 names, 1,724 more than three years ago, Zhu said.

Collecting the names of the victims was an important job in researching the Massacre, but it was difficult to find witnesses and documents decades later, he said.

Moreover, a group of historians from China, Japan and the United States has begun compiling an encyclopedia on the Nanjing Massacre, which was expected to embody a wide range of historical documents and pictures. "The dictionary may serve as a consolation to the deceased," Zhu said.

Tibet and the Budda

2010-12-12T19:47:00.001+02:00

A Tibet of the mind December 2010

By: Tenzing Sonam
For the generations of Tibetans now raised in exile, ‘home’ has taken on a complex tapestry of meanings.

Like most Tibetans born and brought up in exile, I grew up, in India, with a certain idea of my homeland, one that was informed by two extreme but inseparable views. On the one hand was an idealised state of grace that existed before the Chinese invasion; on the other, the violated and transformed land – a veritable hell on Earth – that it had since become. We were taught that we, the exiles, were the keepers of the true flame of Tibet’s national identity, the guardians of its culture and traditions, which, as far as we knew, were being destroyed in our homeland. And we were also raised to believe that one day we would triumphantly return home, that the entire raison d’etre for our displacement was to fight for that moment.

Over time, this lofty aspiration lost some of its bearings, instead becoming simply another component of our lives as refugees. Our world evolved its own particular reality; we were neither Tibetans in the way that our parents were – and Tibetans in Tibet still are – in the sense of having a physical connection to our land, nor were we truly a part of our adopted countries. Our peculiar in-between lives seemed to demand the expectation of returning to our spiritual homeland for sustenance, but not necessarily its fulfilment. As far as we knew, this was our life – being an exiled Tibetan, inhabiting an ersatz Tibetan world.

For the first two decades of exile, we had very little communication with our homeland. China, then in the throes of the Cultural Revolution, was closed to the outside world, and the ensuing shroud of silence fell even more heavily over Tibet. We had no idea what had befallen our families back home, and the occasional snippet of news only confirmed our worst fears. Tibet seemed to be undergoing horrors that we could not remotely imagine; the very fabric of its existence seemed to be in the process of being dismantled. This knowledge gave us the impetus to rebuild our lives in our new home in exile. The preservation of Tibetan culture, especially its Buddhist traditions, and the development of a modern education system for the younger generation, became the Dalai Lama’s most pressing concerns. And in this, helped by India’s generous accommodation and the support of many international agencies, we proved remarkably proficient. Within a few years, we were able to create a parallel Tibetan world, complete with our own religious establishments, educational and cultural institutions, settlements and, most importantly, our own government, headquartered in Dharamsala. We became, in the words of one academic study, ‘one of the most resilient and successful refugee groups in the world’.

In the early years, however, the belief remained strong that, sooner or later, we would be returning to Tibet. For people of my father’s generation, this goal was a very real one. They retained strong memories of home, and the thought of one day being able to go back sustained them through the trauma of escape and relocation. But with each passing year, this hope became remote and unattainable. By the time my father died in a Delhi hospital, in 1999, most people of his generation had already passed away. The expectation of return thus shifted from being a credible goal to an abstract ideal. By this point, the majority of us had only ever known the state of exile as our home. Over the years, as fewer and fewer of us had any direct memory or link with Tibet, we drifted further away from the reality of its contemporary situation. Instead, we retreated deeper into the cloistered world we had created for ourselves, an alter-Tibetan universe that was validated by the existence of the Tibetan government-in-exile and the various religious, educational and cultural institutions we had established. But above all, it was the presence of the Dalai Lama that gave us a kind of moral justification, a redeeming reason for our continuing existence as refugees.

Buddhist Thinker

2010-12-11T02:57:00.001+02:00

Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge
The Buddha’s Charter of Free Inquiry and judging truth are found in the Kalama Sutra of the Anguttara Nikaya. In Kalama Sutra Buddha emphasized the importance of critical thinking that involves seeing things in an open-minded way. Critical thinking helps to evaluate and challenge the thoughts and ideas and rethink conclusions in the light of new knowledge.

Buddhism was conceived as a rational way of thought, being entirely in accordance with the latest findings of the natural sciences and Buddhism was not based on ‘dogmas of blind belief and revelation, but on rational thought and experiential examination. (Martin Baumann – Global Buddhism: developmental periods, regional histories, and a new analytical perspective – Journal of Global Buddhism 2001)

Critical Thinking

In 1987, Michael Scriven & Richard Paul gave a detailed description on Critical Thinking. According to Michael Scriven & Richard Paul Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. In its exemplary form, it is based on universal intellectual values that transcend subject matter divisions: clarity, accuracy, precision, consistency, relevance, sound evidence, good reasons, depth, breadth, and fairness. It entails the examination of those structures or elements of thought implicit in all reasoning: purpose, problem, or question-at-issue; assumptions; concepts; empirical grounding; reasoning leading to conclusions; implications and consequences; objections from alternative viewpoints; and frame of reference. Critical thinking — in being responsive to variable subject matter, issues, and purposes — is incorporated in a family of interwoven modes of thinking, among them: scientific thinking, mathematical thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, economic thinking, moral thinking, and philosophical thinking.

Gautam Buddha from Lumbini

2010-12-08T02:52:00.001+02:00

Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini in the 6th century BC in mid Tarai, Nepal. Nepal has been a pious and holy land for all Buddhists as well as all kinds of religious men and women. Buddha has guided human society on the path of peace, non-violence and prosperous thinking. Gautam Buddha meditated at Sarnath-Banarash and acquired the Light of Knowledge (Mokchya) under the holy fig-tree at Gaya, which is now called Buddha Gaya.

A Nepalese scholar Rupesh Shrestha writes-The term Buddha means “Enlightened One”, and signifies that the person to whom it is applied has solved the riddle of existence, and discovered the doctrine for the cessation of misery. Lord Buddha propounded Hinayana, a simple religion in which he followed to a large extent. This was a direct and simple philosophy that appealed to the masses.

Geographically, historically and politically, Nepal occupies a position in between two great empires of India and China and has drunk deeply from the two culturally rich springs, drawing inspirations from both its grand neighbors, as the political current ebbed or flowed - an influence clearly illustrated in the building styles of Nepal. In addition, there is the religious, cultural and philosophical effect of that great tide of Buddhism, which swept through the continent of Asia.

The descriptions of famous ancient Chinese pilgrims, Huian Tsang (who traveled through India between AD 629 & 645) and Fa Hein (who traveled between AD 400 & AD 414) indicate to this area, saying, 'Lumbini, where the Lord was born, is a piece of heaven on earth where one could see the snowy mountains amidst a splendid garden embedded with Stupas and monasteries.'

An English writer H.A. Oldfield has written- There are about 2000 Buddhist Shrines in the Kathmandu Valley.The majority of those are Chaityas. The Buddhist of Nepal has been adopting several Hindu deities as part of the religious behavior. I have included the opinions of many researchers as Ram Kumar Shrestha, Min Bahadur Shakya, V.K Manandhar, Shanker Thapa, Dr. Tilak Shrestha and others

DR. Tilak Shrestha writes-'The ethnic politics and Dharmic ignorance create non-existing problems. In the given setup, to assign Bahun, Pradhan and Kirati traditions into Hindu camp and Tuladhar, Bajracharya, Shakya, Sherpas & Tamang, Some Gurungs, Magars, Tharus, traditions into Buddhist camp is the outcome of serious comedy. Shaiva and Bauddha Religion are very similar emphasizing knowledge and meditation.The difference is that Shaiva begins with the assumption of ‘Brahma’ as the ultimate reality. The world as we know is one of its manifestations. Bauddha remains empirical and makes no assumptions. Though the goal is to go beyond emancipation, the discipline is within the direct understanding and experience of an individual in the world as it is. For Baudha Dharma the ‘Bodhi’ (Brahma) is the result of the empirical finding, not a priori. One of the philosophers of the middle age Shankaracharya was an Adwaita (Non-duel) scholar and debated mainly with Mimamsa school of Darshan. He also debated with Jaina, Shaiva and Baudha scholars. While Shankaracharya is given credit for the defeat of Buddhism in Hindu literature, he was in fact active after Buddhism had almost entirely faded from prominence. In particular, he was not a contemporary of the last great Indian Buddhist philosopher, Dharmakirti.

When Shankara came north to the intellectual centers there, he borrowed many of the ideas that had been formulated by Buddhist philosophers of the past. (external link)” The unity of the three principal Dharmas of Hinduism in Nepal – Buddhism (Buddha), Shaiva (Nilkantha) and Vaishnav (Narayan) is beautifully given in the temple located in Kathmandu valley, which we lovingly call – ‘Budha Nilkantha Narayan.’ The great contribution for the spread of Buddhism with definition of homely environment and Vikshus (begging alms) disseminated Buddhism was made by Shankaracharya. The opinion, doctrine and ethics strengthened Buddhism. Thus, Shankaracharya was not averse to real Buddhism.

Due to the Nepalese princess Brikuti who married with the King of China- the famous Shronchan Gompo, speeded the Buddhism and the craftsman Araniko who built numerous famous Buddhist statues in China and Tibet. From the time of Shronchan Gompo, Buddhism became gradually popular in China and Mongolia.

Medieval China learned and gained the Buddhism- 'the way of peaceful life.' Fa-xian, a famous monk visited the Buddha's birth place. His account on Lumbini -'Record of Buddhist Kingdom.' is applied as a useful historical asset. A Chinese scholar-Xuan-zhang visited 636 Kapilvastu and his traveling accounts are known as historical knowledge's. Lumbini, the holy pilgrimage had and has been attracting the Chinese monks to visit. The reality is that the Chinese monks contributed to preach Buddhism in China, India, south Asia Burma, Shilanka, Afhaganistan and the western world also. The monks preached translating the Sanskrit sermons of the Buddhism.The Tibetan Buddhism was developed as the most influential Buddhist heritage. Nepal and China have a long history of cultural relations.

In 1895, a German Archaeologist- Dr. A. Fuhrer, An Indian Dr. Mukargee and Nepalese Khadga Shamshere discovered the missing pillar which was set up by the Maurya emperor of India, Ashoka where Gautam Buddha was born-the most visible landmark of the Sacred Garden.The historic importance of the pillar is evidenced by the inscription engraved in the pillar (in Brahmi script).From excavations it has been found that the Ashokan pillar stands on its original base of unborn brick platform which concludes that the Pillar is at its original location.

900 Year Tradition

2010-12-07T03:22:00.002+02:00

“The 17th Karmapa is the oldest and the most revered reincarnate lineage in Tibetan Buddhism,” Samdhong Rinpoche told AsiaNews. The Kalon Tripa or prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile spoke a few days before the 900th anniversary of the Karmapa, the third highest spiritual office in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. The current incarnation has lived in India since 2000, free from Chinese control. He is viewed as the “natural” successor to the Dalai Lama.
Born in 1983, the current Karmapa Lama (Trinley Thaye Dorje) fled from Tsurphu Temple in central Tibet and after an overland winter trek across the Himalayas, he reached India where he was given asylum.

He has lived in Dharamsala since he went into exile. He is free to travel but requires official permission to receive visitors.

For Rinpoche, 900 years “of Karma tradition are significant because it is an occasion to strengthen and reinforce the Tibetan religious and cultural identity”.

Here is the interview Samdhong Rinpoche gave AsiaNews.

Why is the Indian Government keeping the Karmapa under such stringent restrictions? He was allowed to leave India only once, in 2008 when permission was finally given for him to visit the US.

The Indian Government is providing security and protection to the Karmapa, especially because since he was eight-year-old when he became the first reincarnation to be recognised by both the Dalai Lama and the Chinese government. Importantly, in the absence of the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, China wants to make use of him for their own purposes. Thus, the Indian government is kindly protecting him.

Why is China afraid of the Karmapa?

China considers Buddhist religion and culture as synonymous with the Tibetan identity. Hence, all spiritual activity, growth, and prosperity make Chinese officials unhappy, nervous and afraid especially as he was recognised by the PRC.

What is the core teaching of the Karmapa?

The Karmapa is a disciple of the Dalai Lama and for the past ten years, he has received his teaching. In keeping with his teachings, the Karmapa is promoting care for the environment and spiritual harmony among other teachings. With the rumoured retirement of the Dalai Lama, the Karmapa will take on additional responsibilities. The Dalai may retire from temporal leadership so that the Tibetan government will take care of administrative governance. This will not involve any change in functioning.

The first Karmapa appeared 900 years ago. What is the most important aspect of this celebration?

Nine hundred years of Karma tradition are significant because this is an occasion to strengthen and reinforce the Tibetan religious and cultural identity in the heart of every Tibetan, anywhere in the world. A two-day ceremony to mark the 900th anniversary of the Karmapa lineage will be held in Bodh Gaya, India, on 8 December. (N.C.)

Dalai Lama Teaches Russian Monks

2010-12-05T01:36:00.001+02:00

Dharamsala, November 30: His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Tuesday began a three-day Buddhist teaching at the Main Tibetan Temple (Tsuglagkhang) here at the request of a Buddhist group from Russia.

Over 1000 Russian Buddhists and, hundreds of Tibetans and visiting tourists packed the Tsuglagkhang Temple to listen to the teachings of the Dalai Lama on Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo's "37 Practices of A Boddhisattva" (laklen sodunma)from November 30 to December 2. Along with the teachings, the Dalai Lama will also confer a Guhyasamaja Initiation.

The teaching has been specially considered by the Dalai Lama for the Buddhists from Russia and the Russian Republics of Buryatia, Kalmykia and Tuva. A small group of followers from Mongolia are also attending the teachings.

The Dalai Lama is revered by the Mongolian and Russian Buddhists as their spiritual leader and they continue to seek His Holiness’ blessing and guidance for the full revival of Buddhism in their regions after undergoing decades of severe repression from Communist rule.

"There has been a growing interest to learn and understand Buddhism in the three Buddhists Republics and also in the rest of mainland Russia," Telo Rinpoche, the spiritual head of Kalmyk Buddhists and the man responsible for organising the teachings, told Phayul.com.

"So compared to last year's teachings, when we have around 800 attendees, this time we have around 1035 people coming from Russia. Also this times there are more youngsters joining their family to hear teachings from His Holiness," he added.

"We have also seen more and more people from Russia coming to India every year to visit the holy Buddhist places and also to learn Buddhism," Telo added.

Despite decades of Soviet repression, Buddhism survived in the Buddhist Republics of Russia and is now being revived. Mongolia, a predominantly Buddhist state, too suffered cultural obliteration at the hand of communism.

"So what is even more encouraging is that His Holiness has already given his kind consideration to give teachings for us again next year," Telo Rinpoche said.

Telo also said many of the Buddhist faithful attending the teachings have plans to stay little longer in Dharamsala, the exile home of Dalai Lama and the seat of Tibetan Government-in-Exile, or spend more time in India visiting other holy Buddhist places.

Among those attending the three-day teachings are former prime minister of Kalmyk Republic, three members of Russian Parliament (Duma) and the finance minister and other dignitaries from Kazakhstan, Telo confirmed.

There is also a strong media delegation of 27 journalists from different Russian news media currently in Dharamsala, the seat of Tibet's government in exile in north India. While in the town, they will explore the situation of the exile Tibetan community that includes interviews with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan prime minister and senior officials, and various other representatives from the community.

Information available with the organisers of the teachings shows more than 4000 enthusiasts from 54 different countries have registered for the teachings.

The teachings are scheduled to be held in the morning from 0900hrs to 1130hrs in the morning and 1300hrs to 1500hrs in the afternoon for the next two days.

These teachings are being translated in Russian. Simultaneous translations in English and Chinese are also made available on FM radio.

New Religious Book

2010-11-30T22:47:00.001+02:00

Energion Publications announces the January 3, 2011 release of a new book, Ephesians: A Participatory Study Guide. Following the outlines of the Participatory Study Method, Dr. Robert Cornwall presents a study guide to the book of Ephesians that is both usable and challenging while not skirting the difficult issues. These eight lessons take you through this letter to the Ephesians leading from the history and background to modern application and sharing in corporate study and worship.

Whether you are approaching this book as an individual, as a small group, or in a larger classroom setting, this study guide (http://energionpubs.com/books/1893729842/) will provide you with direction, exercises, and questions for discussion and further investigation.

Chanting Competition from Budda

2010-11-28T04:05:00.002+02:00

GUANGZHOU, China — Off court they are calm and meditative but once in front of crowds chanting 'kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi', they only want to win.
Three of the 14 members of Japan's kabaddi team at the Asian Games are reportedly monks, while five others have graduated from a Zen Buddhist institute.
"Training in kabaddi makes our bodies stronger and healthier, while Buddhism meets our spiritual needs," the Beijing Daily quoted Japan's team leader Kokei Ito as saying.
"There is no conflict between sports and faith."
Born in 1978, Ito has been training in kabaddi since he was 18, following in the footsteps of his elder brother who participated in the sport at the Beijing Asian Games and is currently an official with Japan's delegation.
Japan lost to kabaddi powerhouse Pakistan on Tuesday 40-24 in round two play, but is still hoping to reach the podium and win the country's first-ever medal in the sport.
Kabaddi involves teams of men joining hands, holding their breath and raiding opponents.

Buddhism Old in Tibet

2010-11-24T00:59:00.001+02:00

Dharamshala: A presentation by Mr Gabriel Lafitte, an Australian academic and development policy consultant to the Environment and Development Desk (EDD) of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile was held in Dharamsala, northern India, on Monday (Nov 22). Entitled China's innermost Secret Fears, the talk was organised by the Tibetan Women's Association and attended by 30 Tibetans and foreign tourists, who took part in a question-and-answer session.
Mr Lafitte told the audience that on November 1 repressive new regulations intruding into management of Tibetan monasteries came into force. These were denounced by Kalon Tsering Phuntsok as "an evil design on the part of the Chinese government to obstruct Buddhist teachings and its sacred transmissions inside Tibet, and makes it extremely difficult for monastic institutions to undertake their important religious activities".

Paradoxically, a leading academic analyst of Chinese policy wrote the following about the new regulations: "China's new religious policy expands the institutional autonomy of religious organizations, limits the power of religious affairs bureaus, and provides for administrative appeal, judicial challenge, and sanctioning errant officials...

"We thus view the new religious policy as an effort by the Chinese government to fold the management of religion into its larger systemic reform portfolio, to synchronize an anachronistic policy, and to integrate religious policy that diverges from its systemic socioeconomic and political reforms."

What sense can be made of this contradiction? The most common exile response is to say the Chinese leaders are liars and atheists, with no business interfering in what they cannot possibly comprehend. The Kalon Tripa (Tibetan Prime Minister) said that the People's Republic of China, which claims itself to be officially an atheist state, cannot have the authority to formulate rules and regulations on the management of religious affairs of Tibetan Buddhism.

But the contradictions go deeper

Why do China's leaders insist they must oppress Tibet? There are many obvious answers to this most basic of questions, yet none of the usual answers get to the heart of China's fear and loathing of Tibetan culture, especially its leaders' hatred of Tibetan religion. People say it is because the Chinese are communists and communists hate religion, as if nothing in China has changed since Mao told the Dalai Lama in 1954 that religion is poison. Now the Communist Party is barely communist in its ideology, but the ferocious antagonism to Tibetan culture continues. We cannot create dialogue with China's elite until we understand what drives that negative attitude. So we need first to clarify our own thinking. We can do this by looking back at the past century of China's violent struggles to achieve modernity, discovering deep hostility to institutional religion throughout.

If it is not communism but modernity that is the antagonist of Tibetan Buddhism, in the eyes of China's elite, then we can identify the core problem, and stop blaming communism. One reason the world is not listening to Tibetans, though it used to listen not so long ago, is that Tibetans continue to name communism as the enemy, and those who deal with China every day see little sign of communism.

Once we identify China's total determination to attain complete modernity as the reason why Tibetan culture has to be repressed - and Tibetan language removed from the classroom - we know what we are up against. China's quest for modernity is older and deeper than communism. The Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) was just as committed as the Communist Party to strictly controlling religion, because it holds back modernity and a strong state.

How did it come about that modernity sees public religion as its enemy? What are the origins of this antagonism? Can religion play a constructive role in public debate and policy, without being a hindrance to modernity? When Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche once said he was anti-modern, did he mean he wanted to go backwards, or further forward, beyond the limitations and materialist obsessions of modernity?

Japan, like China, was suddenly faced with the challenge of modernity but took a different path, and now manages to be both modern, developed, prosperous and entirely Japanese. Why is the Chinese path to modernity more violent, contradictory, repressive, fragile and fearful of collapsing into chaos?

The fundamental question is: How did it come about that the project of creating a modern society, of literate, productive individuals, made religion into its enemy? To answer this we must go beyond China and Japan, to Europe, to discover assumptions inherited by Asian modernisers. We must look at the European invention of modernity, as a new way of understanding the purpose of human life, a new set of assumptions about the sources of human happiness. We must look at the great revolutions in France and Russia - violent attempts at attaining modernity as fast as possible.

Modernity is much more than railways and bridges, power stations and skyscrapers. It is a mindset, an aggregation of assumptions that have become naturalised and no longer visible.

In the modernist world view, religion can be reduced to being merely an expression of psychological and social needs. The inner legitimacy and inner subjective experience of religious practice is denied and obscured. Instead an aloof, distant, objective, scientific stance is taken, in which religion can be explained by the sciences of sociology and psychology, as the yearnings of people for happiness, which has sedimented over time into specific practices. Religion is no more than its observable practices, and those practices do not promote rational productivity, so at best they are useless and at worst are obstacles to the creation of a new focus for the aspirations and yearnings of the masses - i.e. the nation-state.

All of the above were core beliefs of not only the Communist Party of China but also the Kuomintang; and of the Kemalist revolutionaries of Turkey, the PRI revolutionary regime in Mexico, Soviet Russia and revolutionary France.

James Tong, political science professor at the University of California and close observer of China has expressed the hope that: "Once the modernizing state has consolidated its power, state-religion relations may evolve from competitive conflict to accommodative cooperation." This is a similar optimism to regular hopes expressed by the Dalai Lama - that as China matures it can relax and become more tolerant. It is the hope that modernity is not an endless, all-embracing project, forever requiring the exclusive loyalty and energy of all citizens - that at a certain point China can feel confident it has attained modernity, has at last caught up with the leading developed countries, can stand among the great nations as an equal, and no longer needs to prove anything.

But is modernity a destination, and an attainable one which is known to have been attained when it arrives?

Above all, the party-state clearly does not feel it has 'consolidated its power' in Tibet. In fact, it reads the unhappiness of the Tibetan people, so obvious since early 2008, as a clear sign that it has yet to consolidate the power of the modern nation-state and must crush the disloyal Buddhists ever more fiercely. Elsewhere in China, modernity is flowering and maturing, but in Tibet the modernity project remains at a preliminary and tenuous stage, and might collapse altogether if tight control is relaxed. So Professor Tong may be right about other parts of China, where the modern state may be willing to curb the harsh and arbitrary powers of the official religious bureaus - but not in Tibet, where their obnoxious intrusions into the realm of the transcendental is as zealous as ever.

This is not an academic debate about vague terms like modernity, religion, superstition and the nation-state. We need to understand what drives the antagonism. Why is it that the Communist Party remains locked in seeing the Tibetan monasteries as a seriously threatening enemy? Until we understand how this has happened, we cannot say we have found a language in which any future negotiations may begin. Until we acknowledge the roots of China's fears, it is a dialogue of the deaf, on all sides.

But are there ways in which this conflict can be reframed? Modernity's foundational assumption is that religion is an irrational yearning for security in an unpredictable natural world where the forces of nature are untamed, and that the modern alternative, of conquering nature, can successfully replace irrational yearnings with rational productivity guided by a strong state.

In vain do religious practitioners protest that the modernizers know nothing about the true purpose and practice of Buddhism. But what if Buddhism could demonstrate it is actually rational and scientific?

This is where, as usual, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been way ahead of everyone. He has pioneered a dialogue with neuroscientists, over a long period, and given much of his precious time to it, even when many of the scientists seemed to have little to offer. Yet he persists to this day in the collaborative rediscovery of Buddhist logic, philosophy, epistemology and ontology as rational - long predating the insights of 20th century physics and quantum mechanics, and 21st century neuroscience.

His Holiness, while unafraid to drop old metaphors such as the earth being flat, has not sought to change Buddhism, as Vivekananda and Ramana Maharshi more radically repackaged Hinduism to accommodate modernity. Buddhism has not changed, but it is open to science.

New Buddha Center for Germany

2010-11-20T03:18:00.001+02:00

Berlin, Nov 19 (DPA) Europe's largest Buddhist centre has got the go-ahead for a site at a former military complex outside Cologne, it was confirmed Friday.

The complex will house 60-80 monks plus up to 200 guests.

There are already 20 Buddhist monks and nuns living on the site in Waldbroel, 50 km east of Cologne.

The 10-million euro ($14-million) project, by the European Institute of Applied Buddhism, is to provide seminars and courses, teaching strategies to deal with issues such as conflict, anger or grief.

The centre is expected to open in 2015.

The European Institute of Applied Buddhism was set up by a Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, who was banished from Vietnam in 1966. Alongside the Dalai Lama, he is one of the most recognized contemporary Buddhists, and has tens of thousands of followers.

Dalai Lama Welcomes Release of Suu Kyi

2010-11-17T02:53:00.001+02:00

Dharamshala: Hailing the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today extended solidarity to the movement for democracy in Myanmar and hoped that China will free fellow Nobel peace laureate Liu Xiaobo and other "prisoners of conscience".

Suu Kyi, the 65-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner and pro-democracy leader, was freed from detention yesterday by Myanmar's military government.

"I welcome the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and extend my appreciation to the military regime in Burma. I extend my full support and solidarity to the movement for democracy there and take this opportunity to appeal to freedom-loving people all over the world to support such non-violent movements," Dalai Lama said in a message from Japan communicateed by the office of the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala.

Cambodian Buddhism Book

2010-11-16T02:41:00.001+02:00

CAMBODIAN BUDDHISM: Ian Harris; Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 54, Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi-110055. Rs. 1095.

Much of the source material available on Cambodian Buddhism is in French. This is understandable, given that France was Cambodia's colonial power. What is available in English is only scanty. This book is an attempt to fill this gap. In a chronological order, it traces the development of Theravada Buddhism before the arrival of the French, and then the politicised Buddhism, which had its beginnings in the middle of the 19th century. That the author, Ian Harris, has made extensive research into the primary as well as secondary sources stands out clearly from the work.

Evidences

In the first chapter, Harris discusses the place of Buddhism in Cambodia's history from the period of Funan to Angkor, citing epigraphic, art historical, and other documentary evidences. Although it is difficult to establish precisely when Buddhism arrived in Cambodia, the standing Buddha in varamudra and the images of the Buddha in parinirvana point to its existence from ancient times.

While the factors that led to the development of Theravada Buddhism following the fall of Angkorian power are dealt with in the second chapter, the next two chapters are devoted to a detailed study of its various aspects. The death of King Ang Duang marked the end of the middle period and the beginning of the modern, with unexpected influences. The way the pre-modern Khmer interpreted their environment from the physical and mythological perspectives is also explained. In the modern context, Thailand, which signifies orthodox Theravada values, influenced Cambodian Buddhism.

Dalai Lama Lecture in Delhi

2010-11-11T02:09:00.002+02:00

Report by Arvind Sharma; Dharamsala: Tibetan spiritual leader The Dalai Lama will attend the leaders summit of HindustanTimes being organized at Delhi on 19 and 20th nov, said a spokes person of the Tibetan government in exile at Dharamsala. Dalai Lama will speak on The Art of Happiness in Troubled Times on 19th October, and He shall be the 1st speaker of the summit.

Dr. Kenneth Lieberthal, Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, The Brookings Institution, Prof. Yasheng Huang, Professor of International Management, MIT Sloan School of Management and Prof. Richard Rigby, Executive Director, The ANU China Institute, Australian National University, shall speak on the topic of The Rise and Rise of China : What It Means for India, on the last day of summit, he said

He said that this meet shall also be attended by Indian PM Dr. Manmohan Singh , opposition leader Arun Jaitley, cricketer Wasim Akram and film personalities like Rishi Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor. He said that 26 fomous leaders of India and abroad shall be attending the 2 days summit with a theme of winning in testing times.

The leaders summits of the yester years were attended by the leaders like Atal Bihari Bachpai, Late Benazir Bhutto,John Major,Sonia Gandhi,Mukesh Ambani,Omar Abdullah,William.S Cohen, Shahrukh Khan, Narender Modi,Aslf Ali Zardariand George Bush.

Tibetan Group Gets Support

2010-11-10T05:48:00.002+02:00

The Sixth International Conference of Tibet Support Groups was held at Surajkund in the north Indian state of Haryana from 5 to 7 November 2010. It was convened by the Core Group for Tibetan Cause - India, the apex coordinating body of the Tibet supporters in India, and facilitated by the Department of Information & International Relations of the Central Tibetan Administration.

The conference was attended by 258 participants from 57 countries and consisted of an opening ceremony, five plenary sessions and working groups on political support, outreach to Chinese, human rights, and environment and development issues.

During the inaugural ceremony, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was the Guest of Honour and the former Deputy Prime Minister of India, Mr. Lal Krishna Advani, the Chief Guest, while the Kalon Tripa, Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, delivered the key note address.

Other international guests present at the inaugural ceremony included Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago from the Phillippines; Mr Rafael Gimalov, Member of Parliament from Russia; Major (Retd.), Vijay Singh Mankotia, former Minister of Himachal Pradesh in India; Mr. Javed Raza, National General Secretary, Janata Dal (United), India; Dr. Yang Jianli, President of Initiatives for China, T.N. Chaturvedi, former governor of Karnataka; Subhash Kashyap, former Secretary-General of the Indian Parliament; and Ms. Jaya Jaitly, a prominent socialist leader.

The purpose of the conference was to take stock of efforts in finding a negotiated solution to the Tibetan issue, discuss the current situation in Tibet and outline ways for the Tibet groups throughout the world, including Tibetan NGOs and Tibetan associations, to strengthen their work in the light of new developments in China and Tibet.

The previous conferences of Tibet Support Groups have been held in Dharamsala in 1990, in Bonn in 1996, Berlin in 2000, Prague in 2003, and Brussels in 2007. A special TSG conference was also held in India in 2008.

The conference participants:

Reiterated their position that His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration are the legitimate representatives of the Tibetan people;

Expressed their deep admiration for the unwavering determination and commitment to nonviolence of the Tibetans in Tibet despite the increasingly stringent controls being exercised by the Chinese authorities;

Recalled the courage of the Tibetan people who voiced their grievances and expressed their aspirations through public demonstrations throughout Tibet in 2008;

Demanded that the Chinese Government let the world know the whereabouts of the Panchen Lama and release him as well as all Tibetan political prisoners;

Expressed their appreciation to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Kalon Tripa Samdhong Rinpoche, whose addresses during the inaugural session have greatly motivated the participants. The conference expresses its appreciation of Kalon Tripa’s many years of leadership and assistance to the TSGs;

Welcomed the reiteration by Indian leader Lal Krishna Advani at the conference of the Indian support to Tibetan aspirations irrespective of how the India-China relationship develops;

Applauded the extraordinary and continued support rendered by the government and the people of India to the Tibetan people, which has enabled them to establish a firm foundation for the preservation and promotion of Tibetan identity in exile;

Committed to work together to forge a strong international coalition that will pursue a common strategy for alleviating the plight of the people of Tibet and ensuring a political solution to the Tibetan issue, consistent with their United Nations recognised right to self-determination;

Welcomed the increased participation by Chinese delegates in the conference and regarded this as a measure of the growing understanding and support among the Chinese people about the reality of the Tibetan people and the Chinese people’s future role towards creating a solution;

Welcomed the noticeable increase in delegates from Southeast Asia;

Welcomed the democratic election process that is currently underway to elect the Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister) and members of the Tibetan Parliament by Tibetans in the free world. We fully support the International Network of Parliamentarians for Tibet’s initiative to facilitate and ensure that international election observers are invited to monitor the Tibetan election process in Nepal. We remain particularly concerned about Nepalese authorities’ interference in the Tibetan election process in October 2010. We urge the Nepalese Government to respect the Tibetan people’s right to participate in their democratic process;

Appreciated the sympathy and support of the people and Government of Nepal towards the humanitarian needs of the Tibetans-in-exile so far, as well as, expressed serious concern about the changing attitude of the Government of Nepal towards the Tibetan refugees in recent times;

Expressed condemnation of China's continued abuse of the human rights of the Tibetan people in general, including its violation of China's own constitutionally-mandated rights, its violation of international treaty obligations concerning the Tibetan people's religious and monastic administration, and its violation of the Tibetan people’s rights to use the Tibetan language as the medium of instruction in the education system. The Tibet Support Groups resolved to closely monitor the situation and develop appropriate actions to highlight these abuses and make China respect these rights;

Expressed concern that the People's Republic of China's ill-conceived developmental activities in Tibet are negatively affecting the fragile ecology with grave implications for the region and the world as a whole and demanded that these activities be stopped forthwith;

Resolved to make the protection of the Tibetan environment a central part of campaign work for the coming years;

Urged the governments of conference participants, as well as the United Nations and other international agencies, to recognise His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile as the legitimate representatives of the Tibetan people and take tangible action towards a political solution in Tibet, reminded the governments and parliaments, including the European parliament, of their past commitments to support Tibet and urged them to take effective steps to fulfill them;

Sunday Services

2010-11-08T18:26:00.001+02:00

Congregation Beth Israel, 1336 Hemlock St.: Rabbi Julie Danan will speak on the Torah portion, Lech Lecha; 10 a.m.
Our Divine Savior Catholic Church, 566 E. Lassen Ave.: Mass; 5 p.m. Scripture: Exodus 17:8-13, Psalm 121:1-8; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2, Luke 18:1-8.
Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1877 Hooker Oak Ave.: "Into the Deep Scripture," from Pastor Jonny Hayasaka, youth pastor; 10:50 a.m.
St. Cyril and Methodius Orthodox Church (SCA), 2956 Cohasset Road: Vespers; 6 p.m. The Rev. Michael Spainhoward, presider.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 416 Chestnut St.: Vigil Mass; 5:30 p.m. Scripture: Exodus 17:8-13, Psalm 121:1-8; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2, Luke 18:1-18.
St. Catherine of Siena Parish: Mass; 10 a.m. Call 343-1311 for location.
Paradise service today:
St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 767 Elliott Road: Mass; 8:30 a.m. Vigil for Sunday Mass; 5 p.m. The Rev. Steven Foppiano, presider.
Chico Sunday services:
Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 2869 Cohasset Road: "Five Practices for Fruitful Christians," from Pastor Neal Neuenburg; 9 a.m. contemporary and 11 a.m. traditional.
Bidwell Presbyterian Church, 208 W. First St.: "Healing Agents," part 5, from Pastor Steve Schibsted's series, "The Church Unleashed"; 8:30 a.m. traditional, 9:45 and 11:11 a.m. contemporary and 5:45 p.m. alternative. Scripture: Acts 3:1-10.

Budda Teach in Knoxville

2010-11-07T02:07:00.001+02:00

Lama Jamdron, teacher, translator, and personal secretary at Kagyu Thubten Chöling Monastery in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., will be teaching Nov. 12-13 at Losel Shedrup Ling of Knoxville, 5415-F Kingston Pike.

From 7-9 p.m., Friday, Nov. 12, he will present "A Little Shift Makes a Big Difference," during which he will discuss the many small but profound ways we can bring insight into our mundane tasks and relationships, so that every day can become a forward step on the path to freedom.

From 9:30-11:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, he will present "Making Sense of the Vajrayana," during which he will discuss the esoteric practices of Tibetan Buddhist Tantra. Referred to as the quick path to enlightenment, tantric practices are deeply skillful means that can bring about a complete transformation of our experience, but western practitioners may have difficulty understanding how to relate to them. Lama Jamdron will give practical advice about how to engage in Vajrayana meditation in a way that is personally meaningful.

From 1:30 pm-4:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 13, he will present "Discovering No-Self Without Losing Your Head," during which he will discuss the Buddha teaching that ultimately we have no truly existent self. When properly understood and realized, "the truth of selflessness" brings freedom from suffering and confusion. But this teaching can also be misunderstood as a dictum to negate or suppress the ego in the relative world. Lama Jamdron will teach the methods of insight meditation that can lead to right understanding of the view of selflessness, and discuss how to avoid misconceptions about this fundamental principle.

Space is limited, so please register in advance. LSLK has a limited number of cushions and chairs, so please bring your own cushion if you have one.

The suggested donation is $30 for both days, or $15 per session. Direct offerings to Lama Jamdron are encouraged. Donations to LSLK are also welcome.

For info and to register, visit http://www.lslk.org.

Toronto Meditation with the Dalai Lama

2010-11-03T01:59:00.002+02:00

A congregation of more than 5,000 people has gathered in a former lighting warehouse in Etobicoke, on the outskirts of Toronto. The floor is concrete. The corrugated-metal ceiling is low. The mood is wet.

At the far end stands a glittering altar of three enormous, golden Buddhas, with a throne and a gentle sea of monks at its foot. The 14th Dalai Lama, leader of Tibetan Buddhism and of the Tibetan government in exile and a 75-year-old celebrity of spiritual and political proportions, has yet to part a velvety curtain.
What pilgrimage to enlightenment is supposed to be comfortable? This one, to the Tibetan Canadian Cultural Centre, feels like an unfortunate trip to the mall. At this point, anyway.

I arrived at 7:30 on a Sunday morning to a hive of yellow-jacketed police officers waving hands at congested traffic in the low light. Parking arrangements were unclear. It was pouring. Long, snaking lineups of e-ticket holders stood in the rain to get a proper security pass from volunteers under tents. My cheap Burberry-knock-off umbrella collapsed. A sign to renounce trendy material trappings?

“Please be patient,” a volunteer exhorted through a megaphone. After receiving the tickets, we have to go through another long line in the rain to pass through metal detectors. “When you get inside, you’re gonna be very happy!” he exclaimed. A ripple of fleeting smiles swept through the masses.

The crowd is composed mostly of Tibetan Canadians, many of the women in long dresses, tiptoeing gingerly over puddles in open-toed sandals. The rest possess an alternative vibe: flowing clothes, dreadlocks, long hair, Birkenstock sandals. Not a pair of chinos in sight.

China Talking Tibet and Buddha Again

2010-10-29T04:28:00.001+02:00

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The heads of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism and the Central Tibetan Administration's Department of Religion and Culture in Dharamsala rejected a regulation imposed by the Chinese Government that aimed at undermining Tibet's traditional Buddhist culture.

The State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) of the People's Republic of China, issued a circular called the 'Regulation on the administration of Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries or Order No 8', which would come into effect by November 1.

The order clearly states that any overseas individual or organisation, which means the Dalai Lama's set-up, must not control Tibetan Buddhist temple affairs.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday here, Minister of the Department of Religion and Culture of the Tibetan government-in-exile, Tsering Phuntsok, said the new regulation is in total violation of the provisions of the Chinese Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religious belief for citizens of the People's Republic of China.

Phuntsok added that the new regulation has been designed to snap any possible links between Tibet-based monks and the Dalai Lama.

"Though China is a Communist country they have shown their political view on religious issues. They want to bring an end to the teaching sessions about our religion given by the Dalai Lama and top leaders of Tibetan communities," he added.

"They want the people and monks of all the monasteries and temples in China to be followers of Communism. So, we are protesting this regulation imposed by the Chinese government and have a press conference for it," he said

Phuntsok added that this regulation is also a means employed by the Chinese government to not only destroy the tradition and study of Tibetan Buddhism, but also uproot the monastic institutions and the transmission of Buddhist teachings in these centers of learning.

An estimated 80,000 Tibetans along with the Dalai Lama arrived in India in 1959 after an unsuccessful uprising against Chinese rule. By Akhilesh Bharati (ANI)

Tibetan Monk Talks Smack on China

2010-10-28T03:41:00.001+02:00

Dharamshala: Ven. Tsering Phunstok, minister of the Department of Religion and Culture, held a press conference in Dharamshala today (27th October), to emphasize his objection to the regulations by Chinese officials regarding religious practice in Tibet.
The statement came in reaction to the State Administration of Religious Affairs of the People's Republic of China who on the 30th September 2010 issued "a regulation on the administration of Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries." The regulation relates to the how China will manage the reincarnation of living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism.

Tsering recounted the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, which states that "Religious bodies and religious affairs are not subject to any foreign domination," calling the recent regulation "proof of the fact that the citizens of the People's Republic of China do not have religious freedom and that the country is ruled by man and not by law."

He continued by saying "The religious heads and scholars of Tibetan Buddhism as a whole are, currently, living outside Tibet. Hence, the lineage of the sacred Buddhist teachings and initiations can be said to be existing in the exile Tibetan community."

He added that "this regulation is an evil design on the part of the Chinese government to obstruct the Buddhist teaching and its sacred transmissions inside Tibet and makes it extremely difficult for the monastic institutions to undertake important religious activities. This is also a means employed by the Chinese government to not only destroy the tradition and study of Tibetan Buddhism but also uproot the monastic institutions and the transmission of Buddhist teachings in these centers of learning by diluting the spiritual bond between teacher and pupil."

He concluded his statement with a clear message to the Chinese officials, saying that they repudiate "this injunction of the Chinese government" and "express our strong opposition to it."

Disaster Talks

2010-10-27T02:14:00.001+02:00

Religious representatives debated Monday night whether modern day disasters are a divine punishment or natural occurrence at the fifth annual World Religions Conference at Red Deer College.

None of the men of various faiths — Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, aboriginal spirituality or Judaism — solely credited a greater being for these acts.

Islam representative Ataul Wahid LaHay was in fact the only speaker to say some calamities can be attributed to the hand of a higher power, as noted in the Qur’an.

“Islam does not believe that each and every accident of nature, disaster, upheaval or change for the worse is a reflection of divine punishment or chastisement,” the member of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’ said to the roughly 350 people in attendance.

“Nor is every divine punishment obtained by means of a natural disaster.”

LaHay explained that destructive mayhem is considered divine punishment if the event is foretold, made conditional, spares believers and annihilates evil ideologies.

Christianity representative Paul Vallee, a pastor, argued that God cannot complete evil acts that are not consistent with His good nature and therefore cannot be held accountable for disasters that range from floods to famines.

“It’s humanity sins that brings disasters into the world,” he said, then questioning why God does not stop such tumultuous events.

“God himself, he does utilize all these things in our lives to direct us back to him.”

Lyle W. Keewatin Richards, who spoke of aboriginal spirituality, agreed that world disasters are being created by humans who are not leading a balanced life.

“We are at a place where we’re taking far more than we’re giving back,” said the man born of a Cree mother. “We are changing this planet irrevocably. Whether or not it’s a natural disaster or whether it’s divine intervention, it’s irrelevant.”

Zvi Andrews Pardes, a masters student in religious studies, said Judaism does not ponder that which creates turmoil and instead focuses on a response to such events.

“There is an idea that suffering is reparative, that suffering has a role to play in your life,” he said. “A life with no suffering would involve no growing.”

Only Pliny Hayes, a practicing Buddhist for the past 30 years, denounced that natural disasters could be created by a divine being.

He relied on science to explain earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes, adding that Buddhists don’t believe in God (the Buddha, a human, was the “awakened one,” he said).

“These world calamities, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes, are perfectly predictable in time and space,” Hayes said. “They’re predictable because they’re caused by natural phenomena. The main point is what can we do, all of us, to help the people who are suffering?”

The World Religions Conference, held at the Arts Centre Mainstage at RDC, provides speakers the opportunity to discuss a topic in an attempt to dismiss any religious misunderstandings as well as to explore any similarities shared by different faiths.

Lama Talking Again

2010-10-26T01:08:00.001+02:00

On the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 21, I was lucky enough to see the 14th Dalai Lama speak in Ox- ford, Ohio. And let me tell you, it did not turn out exactly how I expected.

A couple months ago, my friend Elizabeth, who attends Miami University, called me and asked if I would like to go with her to the Dalai Lama's speech when he would be in Oxford. I was incredibly excited for this opportunity, and was honored that Elizabeth would ask me to go with her. I don't have any sort of personal ties to Buddhism or His Holiness, but Elizabeth and I are both journalism majors and on the staff for publications at our respective universities, so we were definitely giddy to see such an important figure speak.

The Dalai Lama is the most influential and revered individual in Tibetan Buddhism. Members of Tibetan Buddhism believe that the Dalai Lamas are reincarnations of one another, and the cur- rent one was chosen for his position at the age of two. His life has been spent preaching the message of peace around the world, and as a 75-year-old man, he has certainly been a prominent member of pop culture for a long time.

I drove down to Oxford Thursday to see his speech, and Elizabeth and I were positively elated, exchanging several Facebook wall-to-walls and texts about our excitement. We fought the traffic to get to Miami's basketball arena, where the Dalai Lama would be speaking to 10,000 plus people. After making our way through airport-esque security, we found our floor seats and waited for the speech to start.

The first thing that surprised me was the lack of formality at the event. The president of Miami University gave a relatively short introduction before giving the stage over to the Dalai Lama.

His Holiness was dressed in traditional Tibetan Buddhist robes, but had also donned a red Miami visor for the occasion as well. He sat on a couch on the stage, explaining to the audience that he was a little too tired to stand for the entire hour-and-a- half speech, and asked for permission to rest his feet. His query was greeted with applause, which he chuckled at.

The Dalai Lama's speech was entitled "Ethics in a Modern World," but his talk was largely spontaneous. His Holiness preached simple messages during his time in the arena, focusing mostly on kindness to one other. He said that all humans have the choice to be kind and make others happy. People require a drive to achieve that happiness, and it's mostly a mental choice. Of all the points he made, the one I found to be most important was his statement on compassion.

His Holiness said all humans require compassion, a fact that may seem obvious to some. But, many people don't realize that every other person is very much the same, from a best friend to a worst enemy. Even the Dalai Lama has the same human needs as anyone else, he said, not long before he kicked off his shoes to get more comfortable.

I was really, really eager to see the Dalai Lama, and came out of the experience fulfilled, but for a different reason than I expected.

His Holiness is an incredibly important figure in the world, but he's also just a normal guy - a cool dude I'd love to sit down and have a conversation with. He may speak to sold-out crowds and has met many world leaders, but deep down, he's just like each and every one of us. It's a message that I think people have a hard time remembering, and a tough vision to live out. But His Holiness reenergized me to attempt to live that out in my daily life and spread his message to others.

New Buddhist Library in India

2010-10-23T02:59:00.000+02:00

CHANDIGARH: The Beant Singh Memorial and Chandigarh Centre for Performing and Visual Arts has decided to set up a library having books in digital and physical forms. The library would have books related to religions including Jainism, Buddhism, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Confucianism. Books on Indian folklore, history of different countries, Indian epics, biographies of Indian personalities, on world wars and on religious and cultural movements in India and the rest of the world would also be housed there.

Stating this, centre director NPS Randhawa revealed it has also been decided to purchase publications of universities and state governments. 'The Punjab digital library has been entrusted with the job of setting up a digital library at Beant Singh Memorial and Chandigarh Centre for Performing and Visual Arts. The library software has been installed on 20 computers. A presentation given on Tuesday related to digitization of books and its benefits in the 21st century as every library endeavours to offer the readers the best,' said Randhawa.

At a meeting in this connection under chairmanship of adviser to UT administrator Pradip Mehra on Tuesday, it was decided that a special committee would visit the upcoming Delhi Book Fair between December 27 and January 2 to shortlist the books to be purchased.

It was further decided that a membership campaign for the lib

Texas Science of Mind

2010-10-21T02:54:00.001+02:00

“If you are happy with your life the way that it is now, great; keep thinking and doing what you have been thinking and doing to get the results that you have now! However, if you want to change your life, any part of your life, you must change what you think and then do what your new thoughts lead you to do,” says Sr. Minister Rev. Lee Wolak.

Rev. Wolak is the founding minister of the Agape Center for Spiritual Living (www.VisitAgapeNow.com) based in Plano, TX, a northern suburb of Dallas, Texas.

Wolak said: “The founder of Religious Science, Dr. Ernest Holmes, never intended to start a church or a religion. He really did understand how controversial any type of religion can be. He wrote “The Science of Mind” as a text book which he used along with many of his other books, to build a series of lectures that were attended by thousands of people. Dr. Holmes required that the ideas and practices of how to cause your life to improve, be kept simple and removed from religious conflicts.”

It was more important to Ernest Holmes to help one person to demonstrate abundance, peace, health, wealth, happiness, and prosperity, than to have one million people praise him personally.

His writings have been quoted by almost every inspirational speaker worldwide, many of whom don’t even know it. The Science of Mind teaches a five step positive or affirmative prayer. ”Once you learn how to use these New Thought tools to build a new mindset, you start to notice that your life improves really fast. This applies to both your personal and business lives.”

These New Thought principles and practices are alive and well and available to anyone who wants to see, hear or to experience them, every Sunday at the Agape Center for Spiritual Living. To find the map to the Agape center, visit: http://tinyurl.com/AgapeMap or call 972-302-9907.

Wikipedia, the largest and most widely recognized online encyclopedia in the world, said of Dr. Ernest Holmes: “His influence beyond New Thought can be seen in the Self-Help movement.”

Rev. Lee Wolak is the featured presenter on several professionally produced free web videos where he expresses the New Thought, Science of Mind message. To find access to this free resource, visit: http://tinyurl.com/RevLeeWolak

Tibetan Rugs at the Met

2010-10-20T02:39:00.002+02:00

Rugs and Ritual in Tibetan Buddhism, an installation dedicated to ritual practice in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism, explores the role of the ritual objects that were employed by its practitioners in pursuit of spiritual enlightenment. Comprising 30 tantric ritual rugs and utensils-including knives, vessel, fire-offering ladles, ritual staff, daggers, offering table-the installation illustrates an esoteric Buddhism that flourished in Tibet from its beginnings in the eighth century through to the 20th century. While many of the objects on view-depicting gruesome images such as exposed brains in skull cups and flayed human skins-may be shocking to those unfamiliar with the meaning and purpose of Tibetan religious art, the deployment of these objects celebrates the power of detachment from the corporeal body that advanced Buddhist practitioners strive to attain. The installation features Tibetan rugs and ritual utensils from the collection of Anthony d'Offay, London, together with New York-based loans and works from the Museum's own collection.

Vajrayana ('Diamond Vehicle') refers to the advanced school of Mahayana Buddhism practiced in Tibet. Vajrayana has, at its core, the pursuit of higher spiritual awareness and ultimate enlightenment through the study and mastery of ritual activities, whose purpose is to remove obstacles on this path. Those obstacles-ignorance, greed and delusion-hindering spiritual advancement are characterized as the "three poisons"; much of the ritual enactment is devoted to quelling the negative passions. Works on view includes a personified ritual dagger, Phurba Emanation of Padmasambhava as Guru Dragmar, which was used to slay these passions in an exorcism-type performance.

The installation includes colorful rugs and a rich assortment of ritual paraphernalia. Highlights are two large cloth paintings of the late 16th century depicting wrathful protective deities-such fearsome imagery was displayed in a Tibetan monastery's chapel dedicated to the wrathful protective deities, in a room reserved for tantric initiation rites. Mahakala-an emanation of transcendental Buddha Akshobhya, and the principal destroyer of the corporeal bonds tying human to material and physical existence-is represented in both tangka paintings and sculptures, along with an extraordinary sculpture of a wild ascetic, probably a mahasidda, one of the advanced yogic practitioners revered in Tibetan Buddhism. He drinks from a skull cup, celebrating his detachment from bodily concerns.

Rugs and Ritual in Tibetan Buddhism is organized by John Guy, Curator of South and Southeast Asian Art in the Metropolitan Museum's Department of Asian Art.

In conjunction with the installation, gallery talks led by John Guy will be offered on November 3, December 13, and January 26. He will also narrate a podcast episode related to the installation that will be available online at www.metmuseum.org/podcast.

The installation is featured on the Museum's website at www.metmuseum.org.

5,000 Gather to Pray in India

2010-10-19T02:11:00.002+02:00

KANPUR: On a day when the country was busy burning the effigies of demon king, the villagers of nondescript Pukhrayan village in Ramabai Nagar had gathered to worship Ravana and to embrace Buddhism on the occasion of Dussehra or Vijaya Dashmi on Sunday.

Over 5,000 dalits embraced Buddhism in the presence of 12 Buddhist monks during Ambedkar Baudh Deeksha ceremony held at the Krishi Mandi Samiti `maidan' in Pukhrayan, 70-km from the city. In addition to the converts, several thousand other persons came to witness the ceremony. The converts were mostly from Allabahad, Hardoi, Azamgarh, Auraiyya, Kannauj, Unnao, Agra, Firozabad and rural pockets like Bhognipur, Akbarpur, Rura, Derapur, Sikandara and Shivli villages of Kanpur Dehat.

Before taking the oath, they took out a long procession. A man seated on a chariot and depicting Ravana's character was hailed by them. They showered flowers and threw colours on the procession.

Later, Bhante Angulmal, a Buddhist monk, along with many other monks delivered a sermon and made people take oath to follow principles of the Buddhist religion with utmost dedication.

"From today onwards, we would only abide by the principles of Lord Buddha," said middle-aged Ram Vilas Sachan, who had travelled all the way from Fatehpur to attend the ceremony in Pukhranya.

Dhani Rao Baudh Panther, president, Bharatiya Dalit Panther party, who has been conducting the annual ceremony against the discrimination in the society, said: "We believe that Ravana was a `Dravidian' king of `Gond' tribe and a learned person, well-versed in the vedas. We have been organising this Baudh Deekhsha ceremony every year so that the future generation can remember his (Ravana) sacrifice and continue the tradition."

Retired IAS Chandrapal Arun, former vice-chancellor, Jhansi University, Anil Kumar and deputy general manager, enforcement, Base Yamuna Power limited, Ramesh Chandra were present on the occasion.

Dalai Lama to Speak to H.S. Students in England

2010-10-18T03:52:00.001+02:00

OXFORD — Select students at Talawanda High School will attend the address by the 14th Dalai Lama at Miami University on Thursday, thanks to a close partnership between the two schools.
Seniors Lexie Withrow, Christina Lindner, Morgan Cox, Josh Owens and Dylon Kalous said they are anxious to learn more about the exiled leader of Tibet during his sold-out lecture “Ethics in a Modern World.”
“I’m hoping he’ll explain about himself and the history of what he does,” Withrow said. “I’m also excited for the question and answer session. It’s cool that he’s interested in what we think.”
“I’m really interested in Buddhism, so I hope I’ll get more insight about it,” Lindner said. “I also think it’ll be just a really cool experience in general, especially to see someone that esteemed.”
Cox said a lot of people could be inspired by His Holiness.
“I’d also like to learn more about Buddhism, and I have never seen anyone that’s as big of a historical icon, either,” she said.
Owens and Kalous said they don’t know much about His Holiness.
“I hope he’ll come explain about himself and tell what he’s trying to do ... but whatever he talks about really will be a cool experience,” Owens said.
Miami has listed prohibited items and other important information about attending the public address online at muohio.edu/dalai-lama.
Free tickets may still be available to view the lecture by video from other locations on Miami’s campus. For more information, visit tickets.muohio.edu.

Budda Relics to Massachusetts

2010-10-16T01:16:00.001+02:00

WORCESTER — The life story and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama — a wealthy prince born in northern India sometime between the fifth and sixth centuries B.C. — laid the foundations for the establishment of Buddhism, the world’s fourth largest religion.

After his death, Gautama, who’s revered as the historical Buddha, was cremated.

This weekend, hundreds are expected to visit Worcester to view a precious collection of about 1,000 sacred Buddhist relics, which include pearl-like crystals that were reputedly found among the former royal’s remains.

“We are very happy that the relics are here,” said the Venerable Thich Tri Hoa, the abbess of Linh Son Temple on Ruthven Avenue, where the historical objects will be displayed.

The exhibition will open at 6 p.m. today with a blessing ceremony. During the ritual, the relics will be placed on the crown of the participants’ heads.

The public is also invited to view the relics from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The collection, which will be permanently displayed in a shrine now under construction in Kushinagar, India, is visiting a number of sites around the globe.

It also includes relics of Maudgalyayana, Sariputra, and Ananda, the Buddha’s closest disciples, as well as the remains of spiritual masters from many Buddhist traditions.

Visitors reportedly experience inspiration and healing when in the presence of the relics. Many Buddhists believe the relics embody the Buddha masters’ spiritual compassion and wisdom, and are produced by the masters themselves at their deaths.

“The relics touch and open hearts,” said Jeff Bailey, who is associated with the temple. “The exhibit’s goal is to promote love and kindness.”

The collection also includes a life-size statue of the Maitreya, who according to Buddhist scriptures, will be the next Buddha.

Maitreya is expected to bestow teachings, which will bring love and kindness to the world.

“The arrival of Maitreya is similar to Christ’s second coming in Christian tradition,” explained Mr. Bailey.

He said it’s never been scientifically proven that the remains are of the historical Buddha or of his dearest followers.

“The question has been lost in antiquity. Most Buddhists believe but nobody knows for sure,” he said. “In reality, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is the reason for the visit — to spread love and understanding.”

The Venerable Man Shing said the timing of the visit is important, given all the uncertainties Americans are facing.

She noted that many are out of work and have lost their homes and ways of life.

“Uncertainty is everywhere. Faith in our social institutions is faltering,” said the Venerable Man Shing. “With this social malaise beginning to manifest in an insidious way, it is our hope that these relics and our heartfelt prayers will bring some relief, comfort, inspiration, and life transforming processes in people’s hearts.”

The Venerable Tri Hoa said she expects Buddhists from all over New England to visit. She said the collection’s only other regional stop is Hartford.

The tour is organized by officials with the Maitreya Project, who are constructing the complex in Kushinagar.

In addition to building a religious facility, project officials are also constructing space from which workers will provide spiritual, educational and health care services to residents of that area, considered one of the poorest in India.

They’re also hoping to improve the area’s infrastructure, as well as helping individuals find work.

The temple earlier this year hosted the visit of a $5 million, four-ton translucent jade statue of the Buddha. Officials said that thousands attended that weekend event.

Meditation Party in India

2010-10-15T02:48:00.002+02:00

On Wednesday afternoon, at Pattaya City Hall, the Advisor to the Mayor- Mr. Bandit Siritanyong commenced a meeting attended by the representatives of relevant government and private sectors, to gather ideas for a Buddhism Ceremony focused on meditation, to lift up the spiritual level of people in the city.

This meeting was held in cooperation with the “Satien Tamma Satarn”, a well-known Buddhist center in Bangkok, represented by its founder- the famous Buddhist Thai nun “Mae Chee Sansanee”. Other participants were the “Sut Tang Rak Restaurant” located on Jomtien Beach, represented by Mr. Daeng, and Pattaya City Hall. The group is seeking a way to combine Buddhism with Safety Security Procedures, to help decrease the numbers of criminals in the city by sending them to be trained in the Buddha’s Dhamma, to help bring peace in the community. The teachings will be at the Alcazar Hall, aided by the Pattaya Police, who will bring prostitutes from the North Pattaya areas to attend the teachings. After the preaching and training program in the morning, all are invited to a dinner treat in the evening at the “ Alangkarn Entertainment Hall” on Sukhumvit road, in the Huay Yai district.

Hindu and Christian to Dialogue

2010-10-14T02:49:00.002+02:00

Renowned Hindu statesman Rajan Zed has welcomed hosting of dialogue by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Douglas Williams with five Hindu swamis (ascetics) in Bangalore (India) on October 20, "to engage in discussions for mutual understanding".

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that serious and honest interfaith dialogue was the need of the hour. Religion was the most powerful, complex and far-reaching force in our society, so we must take it seriously. And we all knew that religion comprised much more than our own particular tradition/experience, Zed stressed.

Rajan Zed further says that in our shared pursuit for the truth, we can learn from one another and thus can arrive nearer to the truth. The dialogue may help us vanquish the stereotypes, prejudices, caricatures, etc., passed on to us from previous generations. As dialogue brings us reciprocal enrichment, we shall be spiritually richer than before the contact.

To be held at Whitefield Ecumenical Centre, participants besides Williams include: Tridandi Srimannarayana Ramanuja Chinna Jeeyar (Hyderabad), Sugunendra Theertha (Udupi), Harshanand (Bangalore), Shivamurthy Shivachary, Paramananda Bharati (Sringeri Math), and Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad (United Kingdom).

Its two sessions are titled as "Visions of the Divine" and "Social Harmony", which will be followed by public question-answer session, totaling dialogue about three and a half hours. "The Swamis and the Archbishop will discuss the social values central to their respective traditions and ask how a pluralist society can encourage and protect true freedom of belief", according to a release by Kate Wharton from Lambeth Palace in London.

Williams is visiting India from October nine to 24, travelling across Kolkata, Ranchi, Nagpur, New Delhi, Chennai, Vellore, Bangalore and Thiruvananthapurum. He will deliver the Chevening Lecture at New Delhi entitled "Pluralism and the Dialogue of Religions". It is his third visit to India.

Archbishop Williams is the senior bishop of the worldwide Anglicans, a Christian denomination, who number around 77 million. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. (ANI)

Sri Lanka and Buddhism Intertwined

2010-10-12T23:30:00.001+02:00

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that the country faces the biggest challenge of protecting cultural values and virtues in the face of western culture and attitudes seeping into society.

He said that Theravadhi Buddhism which was protected and promoted by members of the Magasangha throughout the history of 2,500 years is the biggest gift that Sri Lanka can give to the world. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was speaking at the 200th anniversary of Rankoth Viharaya in Panadura.

The Rankoth Viharaya, Panadura was established on October 10, 1810 by Batapola Kalyanathissa Nayake Thera on the directive of Most Ven Sri Kathaluwe Gunarathana Nayake Thera for the promotion of Buddhism and Buddhist education in the country.

Most Ven Sri Kathaluwe Gunarathana Nayake Thera established the Amarapura Chapter in the country and he was the first Mahanayake Thera of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya.

The Temple played a pivotal role in effecting a Buddhist revival in the country and the world at large by creating the background for the Great Panadura Debate.

Various scholars of the calibre of Sir Henry Olcott arrived in Sri Lanka in search of Buddhist teachings after this debate which took place between the Buddhist and Christian clergy in a land adjacent to the temple.

Speaking on the occasion, President Rajapaksa lauded the indelible services rendered by the Rankoth Viharaya to Buddhists and the country at large.

He said society undergoes various tragedies from time to time and whenever the society faces a threat, the Maha Sangha came to the fore to the rescue of the people.

The President added that children who were born and bred in religious background can avoid elements that can distract them from studies. He added that technological developments such as the Internet has good and bad aspects that children living in a religious background can identify easily.

President Rajapaksa said the country enjoys the fruits of freedom.

“Parents no longer feel afraid to let their children go by bus or train. Terrorism has been totally wiped out from the country” , he added.

The President stressed that “we are faced with an enormous challenge to develop the country. He said that Sri Lankans should not be ready to go before the world with a begging bowl.

Rankoth Viharaya Viharadhipathi and Dean of Sanskrit Studies Department of the Kelaniya University Prof Kahapola Sugatharathna Thera presented two books written by him to the President on this occasion.

Former SLFP Parliamentarian for Panadura Dr Neville Fernando presented a book written by him to the President on this occasion.

External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peries who received Dhamma and Sinhala education from the Rankoth Viharaya explained how this institute was dedicated in the promotion of Buddhism in the country and the world.

The Ambassadors of China, Myanmar and representatives of the Royal Thai Embassy and Indian High Commission were also present.

Sand Mandala for New York Campus

2010-10-12T00:38:00.002+02:00

Ven. Lama Tenzin Yignyen, an ordained Tibetan Buddhist monk and visiting professor of Tibetan Buddhism at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, will visit the Keuka College campus Oct. 18-30.

His visit is sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Center for Spiritual Life.

Lama Tenzin will create a sand mandala, a cosmic diagram that represents the dwelling place or celestial mansion of a deity. According to Tebetan Buddhist history, the purpose, meaning, and techniques involved in the spiritual art of sand mandala painting were taught by Buddha Shakyamuni in the 6th century B.C.E. in India. Mandalas are created for rituals of initiation, meditation, and to purify the environment and its inhabitants.

A mandala can be visualized, painted, or constructed from wood, precious metals, rice, flowers, and other materials. Sand is considered to be a superb medium because of its composition and the great skill required to create the exquisite details characteristic of a mandala.

The artist chants before starting the mandala creation and then outlines the blueprint of the design. Next, he begins constructing the mandala, working from the center outward. He applies sand through a long metal funnel, called Chakpu.

Since sand mandalas are created “in the spirit of impermanence and non-attachment,” they are dismantled after they are completed.

Lama Tenzin will create the Mandala of Chenrezig, or mandala of compassion.

An opening ceremony is scheduled Monday, Oct. 18 at 9 a.m. Lama Tenzin will create the mandala Oct. 18, 20, 22, 25, 27, and 30 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily meditations will be held from 9 to 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 to 4 p.m. The mandala dismantling and closing ceremony will be held Friday, Oct. 29 at 12:30 p.m. All events are free and open to the public and will be held in the Phillips Lounge of Dahlstrom Student Center.

Lama Tenzin has created sand mandalas for museums and educational institutions throughout the United States, including the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, Cleveland Museum of Art, Rochester Memorial Art Gallery, and Cornell University.

For more information, contact Director of Multicultural Affairs Chevanne DeVaney at 315-279-5295 or cdevaney@keuka.edu.

China Tells World Stay Out of Tibetan Buddhism

2010-10-10T00:49:00.001+02:00

The Chinese government issued a document on religious affairs on Friday which states that foreign forces are not allowed to interfere or dominate temple affairs relating to Tibetan Buddhism.

This document, called "Management Measures for Tibetan Buddhism", says that no individual or organization is permitted to utilize religion to engage in activities that undermine social order, impair the health of citizens or interfere with the educational system of the state.

The feudal and religious priority that has been abolished and affiliation between temples must not be allowed to resume.

The document also calls for the legal rights of clergies and religious faculties to be protected.

The measures will be implemented on November 1.

Buddhism, Taosim and Chinese Religion Scholars Meet in Princeton

2010-10-08T23:59:00.000+02:00

Princeton University
Address: 5 Ivy Lane, Princeton, NJ 08540
Cost: Free
Phone: 609-258-5545
Website: http://www.princeton.edu/csr/current-research/buddhist/buddhism-daoism-and-chine/

An international conference on the study of Buddhism, Daoism (Taoism), and Chinese religion. Over twenty scholars from Asia, Europe, and the U.S. will gather at Princeton University to reflect on Chinese religion, using the interactions between two of China’s oldest forms of organized religion, Buddhism and Daoism, as a starting point. Sessions, all held in Jones Hall Room 202, begin on Friday, October 8, at 4:30 pm, continue through October 9, and conclude on the morning of October 10.
The conference is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required (please contact Barbara Bermel). Rather than being read aloud at the conference, papers will be pre-distributed and then discussed at the conference. Languages of the conference are English and Chinese.

The conference, organized by Stephen F. Teiser (Princeton University) and Franciscus Verellen (École française d’Extrême-Orient), is sponsored by Princeton’s Program in East Asian Studies (The Mercer Trust), Council in the Humanities (David P. Gardner Magic Project), Center for the Study of Religion, Buddhist Studies Workshop, and the École française d’Extrême-Orient.

Contact: Barbara Bermel
Phone: 609-258-5545
Email: bbermel@princeton.edu

Sponsor(s): rinceton’s Program in East Asian Studies (The Mercer Trust), Council in the Humanities (David P. Gardner Magic Project), Center for the Study of Religion, Buddhist Studies Workshop, and the École française d’Extrême-Orient

Reverend Enters Stanford Whos Who

2010-10-08T01:14:00.002+02:00

Stanford Who's Who welcomes Reverend Dr. DiAnn Johnson to the ranks of leading professionals as a result of her remarkable work in the Religious Services Industry. As Reverend for the Vermont Square United Methodist Church, as well as throughout her incredible 35 years in the ministry, Dr. Johnson has consistently demonstrated the vision, dedication and diligence necessary to be considered among the best.

The Vermont Square United Methodist Church has been around for 100 years. They recently merged with the United Methodist Church and used to be the home church of the University of South Carolina staff. The church has 5 levels and is a 735 seat sanctuary. They provide Sunday Morning worship service as well as 8 am service for recovering addicts and alcoholics. The facility also houses a basketball court and an exercise room.

Dr. Johnson is always there for the members of her church, offering counseling at any time of the day or night. She is actively involved in the community and regularly sponsors homeless food and clothing drives. During her educational career, Dr. Johnson earned a Doctorate degree in Humane Behavior from Almeda University in 2003. She is a member of the Soroptimist Organization, Scottish Rite Masonic Temple and United Methodist Women. She is also an Honorary Mason.

To view more information on Reverend Dr. DiAnn Johnson click here

About Stanford Who's Who
Stanford Who's Who empowers executives, professionals and entrepreneurs around the world. Our mission is to recognize successful individuals in multiple industries by providing a forum for networking, consulting, exposure and credibility to broadening one's future success. Realizing the power of forming business and professional relationships, we have created numerous resources that our members use for a multitude of reasons. With access to thousands of professional biographies of individuals in over 100 different industries, our members utilize our database to recruit others, to announce their career accomplishments, and for lasting, valuable relationships that extend beyond our membership program.

A Buddhist Comment

2010-10-07T02:05:00.000+02:00

Stanley Koh
Popularly known as the Heavenly City, Nakhon Sawan, about 240km north of Bangkok, is a favourite midway stop for tourists heading further north to Chiengmai.

It was in Nakhon Sawan in 1978 that I had my first encounter with a ghost. I had just begun my spiritual apprenticeship as a Buddhist monk at a temple called Wat Kiriwong.

After that encounter, I had many more weird experiences through these 32 years, including the time when I was under the guidance of Taoist masters belonging to the ancient and legendary sects of the Golden Eagle School and White Lotus.

My ghostly experiences were in fact part of my spiritual training.

As a Buddhist monk, I was taught many esoteric lessons about the human spirit and the evolutionary stage at which the spirit becomes what we call a ghost. This learning has had a tremendous impact on my outlook on life.

I spent two years at Wat Kiriwong in strict discipline, following the daily monastic routine of meditation and occult studies.

Wat Kiriwong is famous for its 600-year-old pagoda, built in the 19th century. It is located at the foot of the low-lying Bawa Dung Hills, a cluster that stretches further than the eye can see.

But let us return to 1978.

I arrived in Nakhon Sawan late in the night on April 9 after a six-hour bus ride from Bangkok, where I had touched down from an afternoon flight from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

A week later, I realised I had fallen in love with the temple and its surroundings. The monastery’s premises stretched over more than a hundred acres of undulating land, hosting numerous buildings for worship and temple administration.

Next to a cemetery was a secluded area for meditation training, reserved for forest monks donning dark saffron robes that looked almost brown. This was where I had my residence.

Quiet and secluded, the area had eight small individual wooden huts. Each of these kuti, as the locals called them, could accommodate only one monk. It had a simple bathroom and a floor that was just wide and long enough for one to sleep on.

The huts were arranged in a circle around a large bodhi tree. Bodhi, in the Pali language, means tree of wisdom. It got the name after the historical Gautama Buddha, having attained his spiritual enlightenment, paid it his respect and gratitude for sheltering him throughout his struggle for the Truth.

The Encounter

The night of Aug 17, 1978, began like any ordinary night. I had sat in meditation with my spiritual master in his kuti, which was adjacent to mine.

The night was still and humid, and moonlight illuminated the area. It was the dry season in Nakhon Sawan, and there had been hardly any rain for days. In the distance, crickets and other insects sang in chorus.

We emerged from meditation at about 8pm. We had some tea and decided to check for small scorpions wandering around inside the master’s hut, particularly around the mattresses. We had to use a torchlight because a small light bulb was the only electrical supply available for all the huts. It was not bright enough for anyone to trace the small light brown insects known for their painful stings.

We had to put the scorpions we caught in small plastic bags and release them at a distance away from the huts since the first Buddhist precept is the prohibition of killing.

We then decided to look for scorpions inside my own hut.

I opened my kuti’s flimsy wooden door, and as I walked in with my master following, we both saw in the dimly lighted room a young woman sleeping on my mattress. She wore a long flowing dress of yellowish white.

My jaw opened wide and my whole body felt like it was rooted to the ground. My heart probably stopped a second but instantly started to race through several beats. I also lost my voice, but I darted a look of shock in the direction of my master, who stood beside me with an incredibly calm expression.

There was this instant disbelief inside me, but the woman was real and there, lying on her back with both arms resting on my pillow, which supported her head. She was probably in her early 20s and had an oval face and a look of calmness about her.

She vanished out of sight moments later, but stayed long enough for us to know that our eyes were not playing tricks on us.

Her body floated with ease and flew out through the window of the hut.

As I stood there frozen with my feet unwilling to move despite signals from my brain, my master smiled at me, gesturing with his hand that I should follow him back to his kuti.

I could not comprehend how my master could be so calm. As we sat together, my mind was blank, but I wanted an answer from my master.

From my diary recording of this episode, the conversation between us went like this:

“What happened? Was it a ghost?” I asked, expecting an affirmative answer.

“I am not sure. It could be a deity testing your courage and guts or probably urging you to study occultism,” my master replied.

I knew that it was not the real answer, as spiritual masters are sometimes known for their strange ways of teaching. Sometimes they deliberately say the stupidest things or just play dumb to provoke critical thinking.

Impatience was getting the better of me. But before I could utter another question, my master asked, “Could it be a mountain spirit?”

I stared at my master, probably with bloodshot eyes, and thought to myself, “Come on, you must be joking, a lady mountain spirit dressed in yellowish white?”

“Do you have any relative who recently passed away?” my master asked.

“No,” I replied.

I also searched my conscience and cleared it, for I had not caused anyone’s death to justify a ghostly revenge.

Lessons to learn

Years later, I learnt that this was how some spiritual masters would teach their disciples. Hardship and experience are your teachers, but you often realise your lessons only much later.

In my younger days, I was sceptical of the existence of spirits and ghosts despite my wide reading on paranormal existence.

Years later, I learnt of two security guards of a high-rise building who had resigned abruptly due to a frightening encounter with a female ghost in the wee hours.

The guards insisted that they heard noises of children playing football along a corridor of an office building and water running from closed faucets after midnight, when nobody was around.

The lesson learnt from my Taoist masters was simple. Man is a multidimensional being, composed of earth, air, water, fire and metal. Man and animals are constantly generating electromagnetic vibrations in which the character, personality, mentality, psyche, thoughts, feelings, impulses and different types of consciousness come into being.

All cultures and civilisations speak of the existence of ghosts in folklore as well as formal records. We celebrate Halloween, All Souls’ Day and other occasions to affirm our belief in the world beyond the physical. We enjoy comedies like Happy Ghost, Casper the Friendly Ghost and the Ghost Whisperer, but know -- or suspect -- that the belief in the existence of ghosts is no laughing matter.

“Ghost stories have probably been around as long as humans have had a language,” says an article posted on science.hoestuffworks.com. “A person’s spirit continues to exist in some form after the physical body has died.”

According to enthusiasts, ghosts exist because these beings refuse to leave the physical world for the spirit world in the process of evolution because they have unfinished business. They say some places are haunted if they are the location of violent or traumatic deaths or if some dead persons have strong attachments to those places or people living there.

Advanced technology and scientific progress have made it possible for unmanned spacecrafts to explore faraway frontiers of the galaxy. In decades to come, perhaps, paranormal scientists will be able to explain in scientific terms how hauntings take place and why ghosts exist. More than likely, these explanations will be in the language of complexities relating to man’s spiritual existence and layers of consciousness.

Stanley Koh is a political observer who use to head the MCA's research unit.

Christian Teacher Leaves Maldives

2010-10-06T01:55:00.001+02:00

Authorities in the Maldives last week had to transport a Christian teacher from India off one of the Islamic nation's islands after Muslim parents of her students threatened to expel her for "preaching Christianity."

On Wednesday night a group of angry Muslim parents stormed the government school on the island of Foakaindhoo, in Shaviyani Atoll, accusing Geethamma George of drawing a cross in her class, a source at Foakaindhoo School told Compass.

"There were only 10 teachers to defend Geethamma George when a huge crowd gathered outside the school," the source said by telephone. "Numerous local residents of the island also joined the parents' protest."

The school administration promptly sought the help of officials from the education ministry.

"Fearing that the teacher would be physically attacked, the officials took her out of the island right away," the source said. "She will never be able to come back to the island, and nor is she willing to do so. She will be given a job in another island.

A few days earlier, George, a social studies teacher, had drawn a compass to teach directions to Class VI students. But the students, who knew little English, mistook the drawing to be a cross and thought she was trying to preach Christianity, the source said. The students complained to their parents, who in turn issued a warning to the school.

Administrators at the school set up a committee to investigate the allegation and called for a meeting with parents on Thursday to present their findings. The committee found that George had drawn a compass as part of a geography lesson.

"However, the parents arrived the previous night to settle the matter outside the school," said the source.

According to local newspaper Haveeru, authorities transferred George to the nearby island of Funadhoo "after the parents threatened to tie and drag her off of the island."

The teacher, who worked at the school for three years, is originally from the south Indian coastal state of Kerala. Many Christians from Kerala and neighboring Tamil Nadu state in India are working as teachers and doctors in the Maldives.

Preaching or practicing a non-Muslim faith is forbidden under Maldivian law, which does not recognize any faith other than Islam. The more than 300,000 citizens of the Maldives are all Sunni Muslims.

A string of 1,190 islands in the Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka in South Asia, the Maldives is the only country after Saudi Arabia that claims to have a 100 percent Muslim population. As per its constitution, only a Muslim can be a citizen of the country. Importing any literature that contradicts Islam is against the law.

Many of the more than 70,000 expatriate workers in the Maldives are Christian, but they are allowed to practice their faith only inside their respective homes. They cannot even get together for prayer or worship in each other's houses - doing so has resulted in the arrest and deportation of expatriates in the past.

The Maldives was ruled by an authoritarian, conservative Muslim president, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, for 30 years. The nation became a multi-party democracy in 2008 with Mohamed Nasheed—from the largely liberal Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)—as the new president.

Gayoom's right-wing party, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), however, managed to win a simple majority in the People's Majlis—as the parliament is known in the Maldives—in the 2009 parliamentary election. The Maldives follows the presidential system.

The DRP-led opposition often criticizes Nasheed's government, accusing it of being liberal in cultural and religious matters, which DRP leaders claim will have a bearing on the country's sovereignty and identity.

A key ally of the MDP, the Adhaalath Party, also holds conservative views on religion and culture.

Many in Maldivian society, along with religious and political leaders, believe religious freedom is not healthy for the nation's survival, although the Maldives does not perceive any threat from nearby countries.

Read more: http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/news/29363-expat-christian-teacher-forced-to-flee-maldives#ixzz11X2K7aV5

Tucson Unified Introducing Yoga to Curriculum

2010-10-05T02:34:00.001+02:00

Hindus have commended Tucson Unified School District in Arizona (USA) for introducing yoga in curriculum and have urged all schools in USA to do the same for their pupils.

Renowned Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, suggested all elementary-middle-high schools of the nation to incorporate yoga in the lives of the students, making it part of the curriculum. Yoga was a mental and physical discipline whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, he pointed out.

Tucson Unified School District provides education for K-12 students. Its High School Course Catalog includes (under Health/Physical Education) two-semester course titled “Yoga A, B” for grade levels 9, 10, 11, 12, in which, besides other topics, students will participate in discussions of Yogic philosophy. “The postures are taught in a way that integrates breath, movement, and mindfulness”, it adds. “Yoga, Advanced 1, 2”, two-semester course for grade levels 11, 12 includes advanced levels of Yogic Philosophy. “Students will be exposed to the Intermediate series of the Ashtanga tradition as well as a variety of advanced pranayama (breath control) exercises. The course is physically and philosophically vigorous. This course is designed to lay the foundations for a life long Yoga practice”, it points out.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, yoga was a world heritage to be utilized by all. Yoga, referred as “a living fossil” and handed down from one guru to next, was based on an eightfold path to direct the practitioner from awareness of the external world to a focus on the inner. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

Rajan Zed added that besides other benefits, yoga might also help deal with the obesity crisis faced by the country. According to National Institutes of Health, Yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. Swami Vivekananda reportedly brought yoga to USA in 1893, and according to an estimate, about 16 million Americans now do yoga.

Launched in 1867, Mission Statement of Tucson Unified School District includes "engaging, rigorous and comprehensive education". Currently it enrolls about 54,000 students, but in 1956, its Tucson High school had the largest enrollment of any high school in USA with over 6,800 pupils. Judy Burns is President of Governing Board and Dr. John Carroll is Superintendent-Interim of the District, which also owns a radio station.

Druids a Charity in England

2010-10-04T02:41:00.001+02:00

The ancient neo-pagan religion best known for Stonehenge has been recognized as a religion and has been given charitable status in Britain.

The decision was made by the Charity Commission for England and Wales on Saturday after a four-year long application process brought forth by The Druid Network.

The 21-page final report released by the commission states, "The Board members concluded that The Druid Network is established for exclusively charitable purposes for the advancement of religion for the public benefit."

Druidry is a belief that deities take on different forms of nature with roots in western Europe, Britain and Ireland.

"The Charity Commission now has a much greater understanding of Pagan, animist and polytheist religions, so other groups form these minority religions — provided they meet the financial and public benefit criteria for registration as charities — should find registering a much shorter process than the pioneering one we have been through," said Emma Restall Orr, founder of The Druid Network, a website devoted to the religion, in a statement.

Muslims Want Mosque in Ayodhya

2010-10-03T06:59:00.000+02:00

Ayodhya, Oct. 2: Ayodhya’s leading Muslims want to build a mosque on the portion of land allotted to the community by Allahabad High Court and the temple town’s Hindu priests see no problem with that.

“Three months from now, we will offer namaz on the land given to us,” Haji Mohammad Aslam, the imam of Ayodhya’s biggest mosque, Teri Bazaar Masjid, said during Friday prayers yesterday.

The high court had asked for status quo to be maintained for three months.

“It (the land) belonged to Muslims. Now the court has given us one-third of the land. We have every right to construct a mosque at the site and offer prayers,” the imam said, hailing the court verdict and dismissing calls from some quarters to donate the land for building a grand Ram temple.

Santosh Tiwari, a priest at the makeshift Ram temple at the disputed site, sees no problem with a mosque and a temple standing side by side. “Hindus and Muslims were praying at the site even before the demolition in 1992,” he said.

“If the court has given them the land, our Muslim brothers are welcome to build a mosque at the spot. I do not foresee any tension,” added Tiwari, a priest in the service of Ram Lalla Virajman since 1991 who claims he was witness to the Babri Masjid demolition and wrapped the idols in a bedsheet to protect them from harm.

Delivering his Friday sermon, Aslam said Muslims should rejoice that the high court had recognised that a mosque existed at the disputed site.

“It is our community’s fault that we do not pray at several of our mosques. This (the verdict) is a punishment for our drawbacks. Thank Allah for what we have got. We should take a lesson from this and resolve that henceforth we would head towards the nearest mosque as soon as we hear the azaan,” he said.

Muslims should not lose hope, Aslam added. “Any place where prayers are offered is considered a mosque and it will remain such till qayamat (end of the world),” the imam said.

“The Supreme Court will do justice. Have hope.”

Later, he told The Telegraph that he had tried through his sermon to soothe any anger at the verdict. “It is important that people do not start listening to extremist elements,” he said.

Mohammad Sageer, a member of the local community, echoed hundreds who had gathered for the Friday prayers when he said: “Islamic law is clear on the point — a place where namaz is offered always remains a mosque. The onus isn’t just on Muslims to show large-heartedness but more so on Hindus, being the elder brother, to lead the way.”

Priests at Hanumangarhi, affiliated to the Nirmohi Akhara that has also been given a third of the land, said elements aligned to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad were raking up a needless controversy about the mosque being near the proposed temple.

“Hindus and Muslims had prayed together at the site for centuries. We live together in Ayodhya,” a mahant at the Nirmohi Akhara said.

Buddha Shrine to be Built

2010-10-01T23:59:00.001+02:00

RAYNHAM —
Four years after setting up home and shrine in a humble New England farmhouse, a group of Thai Buddhist monks is preparing for grander quarters.

By 2012, a sprawling 60-foot-high Theravada Buddhist temple and meditation center will rise from the South Street East property. It will be topped by a 180-foot golden spire.

The complex will culminate the long-held dream of Boston-area Thai families to honor their monarch, King Rama IX, Bhumibhol Adulyadej, who was born in Cambridge in 1927.

The resident monks had been housed in small apartments from Brighton to Watertown.

After searching for land expansive enough for a new temple, cultural center, and monastery, they finally planted roots on the 50-acre parcel near Hill Street.

“This is the permanent land and the permanent home of the temple,” Lamiad Wechapak, a Brockton resident of Thai origin, said in 2007, not long after six monks settled into the 1850 farmhouse.

She said the experience in Raynham had been positive.

Since arriving, the resident monks have spent their days meditating, chanting, counseling laity, and studying the Dhamma or the teachings of the Buddha.

In 2007, residents along South Street East said they found the monks pleasing to watch in their saffron robes and sandals, as they tended to their garden and strolled the property.

Three years later, the welcome mat still appears to be out.

Only a handful of abutters attended Planning Board hearings this year as the elaborate site plans were reviewed and approved. None voiced objections.

Selectmen Chairman Marie Smith, who manages the nearby Pine Hill Estates Mobile Home Park, said she has heard nothing negative about the new temple.

“From what I saw, it looks like a wonderful building,” Smith said, after viewing a model on display.

The temple, or Wat Nawamintararachutis, will be the largest in New England, and possibly in the world, outside of Thailand.

The 109,000-square-foot, white structure with five tiered gables merges Eastern and Western aesthetics, proponents say.

The site will be formally landscaped and preserve existing maple trees and stonewalls. Five acres will be used for the temple. The remaining acreage is environmentally protected.

The building will sit 154 feet from the road and slope down toward the Taunton River.

It will include a temple, museum, meditation center, dormitory for about 16 resident monks who will live on site, and gardens.

The proponents will seek a variance on the town’s 40-foot-height bylaws. The soaring steeple complies with local and FAA regulations, Been Wang, of Architectural Resources Cambridge, said.

The temple and meditation center will be used for educational and religious purposes, including meditation and chanting services, religious rites, and teaching about Buddhism, Thai culture, and language.

Two major events a year, in the spring and fall, and another nine or 10 celebrations throughout the year, are expected to draw between 300 and 700 people but the attendance will be staggered.

In addition to the 240 parking spaces and a grassed area for an additional 100 cars, Depuy/Johnson & Johnson have offered use of their parking area in Raynham Woods Commerce Center and participants will be shuttled to the site.

Police details will be required to direct traffic for major events. Parking will be banned from South Street East.

Fire officials have approved the emergency access around the building, sprinkler plans and alarm systems.

The building will be tax exempt as a religious facility.

The Theravada Buddhist group of the Mahanikaya sect is registered as a nonprofit organization: the NMR Buddhist Meditation Center. It is part of a 2,500-year-old tradition that believes by letting go of desire and attachment, a person can be free from suffering and attain Nirvana or “awakening.” Its followers say it is a religion of wisdom and compassion.

“Anyone can come as a guest and observe and enjoy or join us in chanting and prayer,” Wechapak said. “Buddhism is an open religion. We accept everyone in our temple.”

1 Hour Course in Meditation

2010-10-01T00:24:00.002+02:00

Southwestern Community College
Introduction to Meditation: 1 hour

Experience stress reduction, greater health and have a more vibrant life by utilizing simple deep breathing and meditation exercises you will learn in Introduction to Meditation from 10-11 a.m. Oct. 26.

This one- hour Southwestern Community College class is taught by Iva Veazey, a certified transformation meditation instructor and a performance wellness coach. The class will be held on the Jackson Campus and the charge is $15. If there is enough interest, an ongoing class will be developed.

For more information and to register, contact Michael Rich at 339-4497.

Summon Your Muse: 3 hours

Discover your hidden muse in a three-hour workshop offered at both Southwestern Community College’s Cashiers Center and the Jackson Campus.

In Summon Your Muse experience deep relaxation, enhanced creativity and greater clarity through exercises and visualization led by Iva Veazey, who has helped a number of local artists, writers and musicians with their creativity.

The workshop will be held 9 a.m.-noon Oct. 5 at the Cashiers Center and from 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 2 on the Jackson Campus. Cost is $30 for each workshop.

For more information and to register, contact Michael Rich at 339-4497.

Tibetan Teacher Coming to Massachusetts

2010-09-30T00:17:00.002+02:00

NATICK —
A teacher of Tibetan Buddhism is coming to Natick and Sherborn to help people get happy.

David White, a native of Great Britain who has studied Tibetan Buddhism, yoga and Sanskrit around the world, is coming to the area as part of a year-long U.S. tour. White specializes in taking ancient Buddhist texts and making meaning for modern audiences.

“These methods have worked since Buddha first created them 2,500 years ago, and they still work today,” White said in a press release. “Why not give them a shot?”

White is scheduled to teach two different classes. Each Tuesday night in October, White will teach a class entitled “Getting Clear, Getting Free, Getting Happy! The Essential Foundations of the Tibetan Buddhist Path” at Peace Abbey in Sherborn. On Saturday Oct. 23, White will teach the seminar “The Purpose of Yoga” at Roots and Wings Yoga and Healing Arts in Natick.

“We do our best, and then we die - it’s not enough, is it?” said White. “The purpose of the spiritual path is to empower you, to transform your life and your world. By learning how to transform your head and your heart, you create the perfect world and ultimate happiness.”

Classes are by donation. Drop-ins are welcome. Registration is not required, but is recommended to guarantee a space. For more information or to register, e-mail feastofroses@gmail.com or call 617-966-0554.

More information: www.rootsandwingshealingarts.com

and www.peaceabbey.org

Budda Disciples Meditate to Enlightenment

2010-09-29T02:35:00.000+02:00

Enlightenment can bring about a chain effect. Osho narrates a short story to explain the truth.

Manjushri and Samantabhadra were two great disciples of Buddha who attained enligtenment even while Buddha was in His body.

It was a practice for Manjushri to sit under a tree and meditate. As streaks of dawn appeared on the sky banishing the night, the tree under which Manjushri meditated blossomed all of a sudden and rained flowers on Manjushri.

Thousands of disciples of Buddha swarmed there ,wonderstruck at the untimely blossoming of the tree.

Buddha came there and told them, “You are looking at the tree. But look at Manjushri!”

Majushri was sitting under the tree continously for seven days. Buddha told Majushri,

“Manjushri get up. Seven days have passed and now you will have to tell your fellow travellers what has happened to your being”

Of the thousands of disciples who swarmed, it was only Samantabhadra who got enlightened instantly when Buddha said “You are all looking at the tree. Look at Manjushri!”

Osho explains that the blossoming of tree just synchronized with the blossoming of Manjushri. Manjushri's enlightenment instigated the enlightenment of Samantabhadra as well.

Enlightenment brings about a chain effect on ripe souls, perfected through steady practice.

Buddha is Buddhism For Many

2010-09-28T00:21:00.000+02:00

Between processions of nuns and monks leading chants and prayers, tens of thousands of Buddhists have come to a warehouse in San Jose to pray before the Jade Buddha and pose before the popular statue for family snapshots.
"I came here to just pray for good things to happen, especially to the community of San Jose," Pauline Bui said Sunday morning at the makeshift temple. "It's for universal peace. That's what this Buddha is for."
A financial analyst who lives in San Jose, Bui has brought her mother and two children six or seven times. On a previous visit, she stood in line for three hours to buy a small pendant made from the same massive block of jade as the statue.
At least 113,000 people have visited the statue since the exhibition opened Sept. 19, according to the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace Organizing Committee in Northern California. Almost 29,000 showed up Sept. 20, prompting at least one complaint from a resident of an apartment complex next door about crowds, illegal parking and noise.
By this past weekend, however, the mood was relaxed, even festive, as the free exhibit headed toward its last day in San Jose -- Friday. It will then continue on its five-year worldwide tour. A spat between rival Vietnamese-American community factions over who would host the statue didn't dampen the community's enthusiasm.
t was carved from a single 16-ton boulder of translucent jade formed in a mountaintop crucible 100 million years ago, when colliding tectonic plates created the Cassiar Mountains in western Canada. Miners discovered the rare rock only 10 years ago and gave it a name, Polar Pride, even before anyone knew what to do with it.
Two Australian Buddhists, Ian and Judy Green, bought it and shipped it to Thailand, where master carvers produced the statue from half the stone. The other half was broken up into smaller pieces and sold to help fund the statue's world tour and to build its final stop, a new temple in Australia.
The Greens named the statue the Jade Buddha for Universal Peace, hoping that all who see it, no matter what their religion, would take a moment to reflect on peace in the world, as well as at home, work and in their own hearts and minds.
Unlike the portly Buddha statues commonly seen on television, this one is slim and youthful, almost athletic. The designers borrowed from the famous Gautama Buddha in Bodh Gaya, India, where Buddhists believe the founder of their religion found enlightenment in the fourth century B.C.
The Jade Buddha is attracting pilgrims far from the Silicon Valley orbit.
Kim Nguyen drove down Sunday from Ukiah with her two children and planned to return after a few hours of prayer. She found a nook at one end of the temporary temple and sat cross-legged with a strand of prayer beads in her hand.
"This Buddha, this jade, it comes from deep in the ground," she said. "We pray to him for wisdom, to help us live our lives in peace. "
An hour later, she was still at prayer, standing and kneeling on a carpet away from the altar, where the line of pilgrims seemed to only grow longer.

Meditation for Rejuvenation

2010-09-27T01:23:00.002+02:00

Mick Jagger took some time far out of the spotlight with a recent trip to Luang Prabang, Laos. According to a new report from Britain's The Sun, the Rolling Stones legend sequestered himself in a hotel for a period of deep meditation.

"Mick booked two rooms in the hotel - one for himself, the other for his luggage," a source close to the singer told The Sun. "His room boasts the best view overlooking the mountains and Phousi Temple. But he then blacked out all the windows, even though the hotel is in a remote location and away from prying eyes. He clearly wanted to be at one with himself."

The source adds: "Mick used the trip to regenerate himself. He spent hours with monks in the temples and chanted with them. He practices Buddhism and meditation every day. He says it's the first thing he does when he gets up in the morning."

In the meantime, rumors continue to circulate that the Stones are planning their farewell tour. In a recent interview with Le Parisien, drummer Charlie Watts says the band will hit the road as soon as Mick and Keith Richards are up for it.

"We will resume playing whenever Mick and Keith get bored. At the moment, they're having a good time," Watts said.

Father O'Reilly in Who's Who

2010-09-26T05:30:00.002+02:00

BARRIERE, BC, CANADA, September 25, 2010 /Stanford Who's Who/ -- Father Donal J. O'Reilly has been accepted among the prestigious ranks of Stanford Who's Who as a result of his remarkable effort in the Religious Services Industry. As a Pastor with the St. George Catholic Church for the past 4 years, as well as throughout his incredible 40 year career, Father O'Reilly has routinely exhibited the passion, vision and dedication necessary to be considered among the best.

Father O'Reilly delivers weekly sermons to his parishioners. In addition, he is actively involved in the community through the food bank and working with patients in a hospice setting. He also travels 44 km every weekend for missionary work. During his educational career, Father O'Reilly earned a college degree and seminary education in Philosophy and Theology. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus.

To view more information on Father Donal J. O'Reilly click here

About Stanford Who's Who
Stanford Who's Who empowers executives, professionals and entrepreneurs around the world. Our mission is to recognize successful individuals in multiple industries by providing a forum for networking, consulting, exposure and credibility to broadening one's future success. Realizing the power of forming business and professional relationships, we have created numerous resources that our members use for a multitude of reasons. With access to thousands of professional biographies of individuals in over 100 different industries, our members utilize our database to recruit others, to announce their career accomplishments, and for lasting, valuable relationships that extend beyond our membership program.

Monk Creates Sand Mandala

2010-09-25T00:29:00.001+02:00

Seated against the panorama of the Missouri River Valley behind the wall of glass at the University of Mary, the Venerable Ngawang Chojor delicately rasped together a pair of narrow iron funnels.

Rasping the ridges on the top of the chakpur, as the funnel is called, causes the sand inside them to vibrate and pour.

From a miniscule opening in the bottom of the chakpur trickled a thin stream of crushed marble the consistency of the finest sand. A multicolored sand mandala — Sanskrit for “circle” — was taking shape under the tip of the cone, this one a collection of symbols of the Buddha of Compassion.

In the quiet, the rasping of the chakpur might have been the crickets or grasshoppers in the riverbottoms below, signaling autumn. Students and visitors were invited to ask questions of the Tibetan Buddhist monk creating the mandala, but watching the sand stream out in intricate designs seemed to hush the watchers.

Tibetan Buddhists believe that to witness a mandala being created fosters purification and healing within the watcher.

This mandala, outlined as a thin etching on a blue wooden board, will bloom with the symbols of the Buddha of Compassion — a lotus in the center, surrounded by eight lotus petals and colors of the four cardinal directions was part of the first day’s work. Ven. Chojor dipped the chakpur into the containers of sand — blue, rose, pink, yellow, white, green, black — and worked like a moving hourglass to fill in each space in the mandala with background and a delicate filigree of dots, branches and petals.

Ven. Chojor is very exacting; the goal of the construction is to be as perfect as possible, said Karma Tensum, the monk’s translator.

“Everything has a plan, a meaning and a story,” he said of the symbols covering the mandala.

Over four days, Ven. Chojor will work from about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Thursday, and then complete the mandala on Friday morning.

Strange to the Western mind, Karma Tensum said sand mandalas are dismantled, swept up and undone after they are finished, to emphasize the impermanence of life.

For centuries, Tibetan mandalas were seen exclusively by the monks and nuns of Buddhist monasteries. In 1988, however, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, decreed that a mandalas be constructed for the public to witness.

Ven. Chojor is a senior monk from Namgyal Monastery, home of the Dalai Lama, now living in Madison, Wis. Karma Tensum accompanies the Ven. Chojor on his travels as translator and also is the founder the The Tibetan Children’s Education Foundation, founded in 1995 for the preservation of Tibetan culture by supporting Tibetan schools and school children in exile from their homeland.

A convocation is planned at 11 a.m. Thursday by Karma Tensum on the plight of Tibetan people under Chinese rule, “Challenges of Tibetan Cultural Survival,” in Heskett Hall on campus.

The creation of a sand mandala begins with a consecration ceremony; during the time Ven. Chojor is working on the mandala, visitors are welcome to sit and watch, take photos, and ask questions.

After the completion of the mandala, at about noon on Friday, the sands so exactingly placed will be swept up and undone; sand will be distributed to those who want it.

Blue “mandala” signs on campus will direct visitors toward Chick’s Place on campus, which is adjacent to the Leach Fieldhouse. A grant from the North Dakota Humanities Council is supporting the visit.

Big Buddha on Temple to be Built

2010-09-23T23:31:00.002+02:00

Raynham —

Four years after setting up home and shrine in a humble New England farmhouse, a group of Thai Buddhist monks is preparing for grander quarters.

By 2012, a sprawling 60-foot-high Theravada Buddhist temple and meditation center will rise from the South Street East property. It will be topped by a 180-foot golden spire.

The complex will culminate the long-held dream of Boston-area Thai families to honor their monarch, King Rama IX, Bhumibhol Adulyadej, who was born in Cambridge in 1927.

The resident monks had been housed in small apartments from Brighton to Watertown.

After searching for land expansive enough for a new temple, cultural center, and monastery, they finally planted roots on the 50-acre parcel near Hill Street.

“This is the permanent land and the permanent home of the temple,” Lamiad Wechapak, a Brockton resident of Thai origin, told The Raynham Call in 2007, not long after six monks settled intothe 1850 farmhouse.

She said the experience in Raynham had been positive.

Since arriving, the resident monks have spent their days meditating, chanting, counseling laity, and studying the Dhamma or the teachings of the Buddha.

In 2007, residents along South Street East said they found the monks pleasing to watch in their saffron robes and sandals, as they tended to their garden and strolled the property.

Three years later, the welcome mat still appears to be out.

Only a handful of abutters attended Planning Board hearings this year as the elaborate site plans were reviewed and approved. None voiced objections.

Selectmen Chairman Marie Smith, who manages the nearby Pine Hill Estates Mobile Home Park, said she has heard nothing negative about the new temple.

“From what I saw, it looks like a wonderful building,” Smith said, after viewing a model on display.

The temple, or Wat Nawamintararachutis, will be the largest in New England, and possibly in the world, outside of Thailand.

The 109,000-square-foot, white structure with five tiered gables merges Eastern and Western aesthetics, proponents say.

The site will be formally landscaped and preserve existing maple trees and stonewalls. Five acres will be used for the temple. The remaining acreage is environmentally protected.

The building will sit 154 feet from the road and slope down toward the Taunton River.

It will include a temple, museum, meditation center, dormitory for about 16 resident monks who will live on site, and gardens.

The proponents will seek a variance on the town’s 40-foot-height bylaws. The soaring steeple complies with local and FAA regulations, Been Wang, of Architectural Resources Cambridge, said.

The temple and meditation center will be used for educational and religious purposes, including meditation and chanting services, religious rites, and teaching about Buddhism, Thai culture, and language.

Two major events a year, in the spring and fall, and another nine or 10 celebrations throughout the year, are expected to draw between 300 and 700 people but the attendance will be staggered.

In addition to the 240 parking spaces and a grassed area for an additional 100 cars, Depuy/Johnson & Johnson have offered use of their parking area in Raynham Woods Commerce Center and participants will be shuttled to the site.

Police details will be required to direct traffic for major events. Parking will be banned from South Street East.

Fire officials have approved the emergency access around the building, sprinkler plans and alarm systems.

The building will be tax exempt as a religious facility.

Buddha Inspires

2010-09-23T00:07:00.000+02:00

By Chun Ock-bae

Most people are interested in learning more about the life stories of the people they admire. That is the reason why the eight phases of the Buddha's life from his birth to his death can be found in the ``Palsang-jeon (Eight Pictures Hall),’’ or on the outside walls of the Main Hall of Buddhist Temples.
Ever since the Buddha entered nirvana, the story of his life has drawn endless interest from many Buddhists. A series of paintings entitled ``Eight Phases of the Buddha’s Life’’ was developed as a means of satisfying people’s interest. These paintings were created for the first time 2,000 years ago and even now they are central to Buddhist Art.

Announcement of the imminent birth

One night, Queen Mayadevi dreamed that a white elephant descended from heaven and entered her womb. The white elephant entering her womb indicated that on that very night she had conceived a child who was a pure and powerful being. The King and the Queen listened to the interpretation of the dream from a Brahmin who was an expert in physiognomy. He predicted: ``A great son will be born. If he renounces the world and embraces a religious life, he will attain perfect enlightenment and become the savior of this world.’’

Birth

Buddha Shakyamuni was born as a royal prince in 624 B.C. in a place called Lumbini, which was originally in northern India but is now part of Nepal. He emerged from the right side of his mother who is depicted as standing upright and holding the branch of a fig tree. When the king saw the child he felt as if all his wishes had been fulfilled. Thus he named the young prince ``Siddhartha.’’

He invited a Brahmin seer to make predictions about the prince’s future. The seer examined the child with his clairvoyance and told the king, ``There are signs that the boy could become either a chakravatin king, a ruler of the entire world, or a fully enlightened Buddha.’’

Four scenes of human existence

Sometimes Prince Siddhartha would go into the capital city of his father’s kingdom to see how the people lived. During these visits he came into contact with the sick and the elderly, and, on one occasion, a corpse. These encounters left a deep impression on his mind and led him to realize that all living beings without exception have to experience the sufferings of birth, sickness, aging and death.

Seeing how all living beings are trapped in this vicious circle of suffering he felt a deep compassion for them, and developed a sincere wish to free all from suffering.

Renunciation

Realizing that only a fully enlightened Buddha has the wisdom and the power to help all living beings, he resolved to leave the palace and retire to the solitude of the forest where he would engage in profound meditation until he attained enlightenment.

His father, learning of Siddhartha’s intentions to leave, placed extra guards by the gates to watch over his son at all times. But Siddhartha, with the aid of the four guardians and other spirits, was able to escape over the wall on his favorite white horse.

Asceticism

For six years he studied and meditated to find the truth. As was the custom in those days, he punished and disciplined his body until verging on the edge of death. Finally realizing that this was not the right way to enlightenment, he began to live moderately and maintain a healthy body in order to further his quest for understanding.

Temptations

The demon Mara, symbolizing delusions, which arise during meditation, tried to disturb Siddhartha’s practice. Mara sought to break the spirit of the meditating man and sent various lures as distractions from the path Siddhartha had chosen.

First he sent worldly pleasures. When these failed, he sent his army of monsters but the power of the nearly enlightened Buddha was able to stop them and turn their weapons into lotus blossoms. Evil, in the guise of Mara and his tricks, was defeated and goodness prevailed ― Siddhartha resisted the three voluptuous women sent to seduce him. He finally defeated all temptations and attained enlightenment.

Enlightenment and teaching

After overcoming temptation, enlightenment is complete. Siddhartha had become the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni. In “Deer Park,” the Buddha is depicted preaching to his colleagues who practiced with him before his enlightenment. For 45 years, he wandered and taught anyone who was interested in his understanding of reality.

If we integrate Buddha’s teachings into our daily life we will be able to solve all our inner problems and attain a truly peaceful mind. Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible. If we first establish peace within our minds by training in spiritual paths, outer peace will come naturally; but if we do not, world peace will never be achieved, no matter how many people campaign for it.

Passing away, nirvana

At the age of 80 the Buddha passed away between two Sala trees and many disciples and animals gathered around the bier to mourn his passing. In elaborate paintings, there is a colorful shower of relics from the burning casket. Around the body are crowds of both heavenly and earthly mourners.

Lawsuit Over Lord's Prayer

2010-09-22T02:20:00.001+02:00

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against a New Jersey town on behalf of a former Jewish employee.

The suit against Point Pleasant Beach contends that the recitation of the Lord's Prayer at municipal council meetings, which the council has done since the mid-1990s, is unconstitutional because it shows preference for a particular religion, according to reports.

The former employee, who was unnamed in reports about the suit, said the prayer made her feel uncomfortable.

Kevin Riordan, an attorney for Point Pleasant Beach, said there was no intention to discriminate against any one religion and that no one had complained before.

52% Have Negative Viewpoint of Islam in US

2010-09-21T00:37:00.000+02:00

NEW YORK, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- More than half of Americans hold an unfavorable view of Islam and say they consider it to be a religion that encourages violence, a poll indicates.

Americans hold strongly positive views on Christianity but are less approving in their assessment of other religions, the Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In a survey of 1,024 adults, the poll found 83 percent generally have a favorable view of Christianity while 47 percent feel the same way about Judaism and 43 percent about Buddhism.

But 52 percent of respondents said they hold an unfavorable view of Islam, the poll found.

Asked about religion encouraging violence, 45 percent said they believe Islam encourages violence and 25 percent described it as a peaceful religion.

While 91 per cent of Americans say they have a good basic understanding of the teachings and beliefs of Christianity, less than half are knowledgeable about five other religions: Judaism 43 percent, Islam 34 percent, Buddhism 31 percent, Hinduism 22 percent and Sikhism 8 percent, the poll indicates.

The poll was conducted online on Sept 14 and 15 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

The Buddha Message

2010-09-20T00:29:00.002+02:00

They call it a message of peace and harmonious co-existence from ancient India to the modern world. An exhibition on the Lotus Sutra, believed to be a record of Gautam Buddha’s teachings towards the end of his life and been transcribed between the first and second century CE, is on at Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi, in the city.

The exhibition — comprising a collection of artefacts, calligraphic and pictorial representations of the transcriptions, including historic originals and reproductions from India, Nepal, China and Japan — has already travelled to Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Laos, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata. This is its first appearance in the city.

The teachings have also been translated into a number of non-Asian languages such as German, Italian and Greek. “When I think about how many Buddhists must have endured tremendous adversities to protect and transmit the Lotus Sutra over countless centuries, I could not help but think that they looked happy to have survived the trials and tribulations and to be able to meet with so many people,” says Dr Daisaku Ikeda, president of exhibition organisers Soka Gakkai International. “The Lotus Sutra is an effort to develop a means for the contemporary society to confront the rampant suffering of our age and to make the social and cultural diversity of our world a source of creativity and joy for all.”

Homage to Sai Baba

2010-09-19T07:15:00.001+02:00

The children are part of a delegation of 2500 devotees who are going to the subcontinent to see their spiritual guru, Sathya Sai Baba.

The Sathya Sai Movement South Africa will stage a play called Ubuntu for Sai Baba and thousands of his followers from across the globe.

Devotees from 85 countries will take part in the pilgrimage to Prashanti Nilayam, the main ashram of Sai Baba in Puttarparthi, Andhra Pradesh.

The pilgrimage begins on September 23 and ends on October 4.

Ubuntu enjoyed a long run in South Africa's main cities.

It chronicles the history of South Africa and documents the biggest turning points, including the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi, the imprisonment and release of former president Nelson Mandela and the country's liberation from white rule.

Co-ordinator Nithya Naidoo said the group had decided to perform the 50-minute play as South Africa's "offering" to the spiritual leader.

"Other countries have all had their chances, and now it is the time for our children to shine," said Naidoo.

He added that it was important to show Sai Baba the impact he had made on his thousands of followers in South Africa.

"Outside India, Africa was the first place Sai Baba touched with his divine presence many years ago."

The children who will take part in the play hail from the four major Sathya Sai schools in the country - based in Chatsworth, Newcastle, Lenasia and Rylands - while 111 children come from an informal settlement in Verulam.

"These children come from underprivileged backgrounds, and to be able to give them this opportunity is wonderful," said Naidoo.

Pope Visit Has a Little Religious Controversy

2010-09-18T01:51:00.000+02:00

The state visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Britain has placed him with the queen, prime minister, and given him a prized platform to argue for a deeper religious meaning in an overtly secular land.Yet the culmination and purpose of Pope Benedict's trip is Sunday when he will beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman in a huge celebration in Birmingham, England.

Cardinal Newman, a 19th century writer and theologian, is a convert from the Anglican Church who made being British and being Catholic acceptable, scholars say. He was made a cardinal at the age of 80.

His “doctrine of development” argued that theological ideas evolve into new manifestations. Newman retained skepticism of papal infallibility, famously saying, “Drink to the Pope, if you please, still, to conscience first.”

The pope's trip to beatify a star convert to Catholicism comes at a sensitive time for British Anglicans. The church is bitterly divided over gay marriage, female priests, and religious authority. Traditionalist Anglicans, such the writer GP Taylor, have converted to Catholicism, and the Anglican bishops of Rochester and Chichester have threatened to leave.

Last fall the pope shocked the Anglican establishment by announcing that large chunks of their “disillusioned” faithful could convert to the Roman Catholic Church; clergy could stay married.

The sudden offer, made after Vatican meetings with Anglicans behind the back of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was described by Oxford church historian Diarmaid MacCulloch as destroying decades of careful ecumenical work.

“As in various other controversial personal initiatives of his pontificate, to do with Muslims or condoms in Africa, the pope has jumped into a delicate situation regardless of consultation with those in the Vatican who have charge of such matters,” Mr. MacCulloch wrote in the Guardian.

Archbishop Williams told Vatican radio after a meeting with the pope that he didn’t think the Vatican was conducting a “dawn raid” on the Anglican communion but said he wished he had been consulted prior to the announcement.

The respected National Catholic Reporter columnist John Allen pointed out to CNN today that the pope needs to be concerned it not appear to be “poaching” Anglicans while on this trip.

But regarding the beatification of Newman, British Catholics are thrilled.

“He’s a heroic figure, an Anglican star who became Catholic, showing we can be both very British and very Catholic,” says a Benedictine theologian.

To some theologians, his beatification involves a “reinterpretation” of Newman – harmonizing his thinking to suit a church and a pope turning in a far more orthodox direction than Newman would have countenanced.

In a Financial Times article, “The papal hijacking of Cardinal Newman,” Newman biographer John Cornwell writes that Newman’s advocacy of free and open inquiry and his dissenting spirit would put him at strong odds with the pope, whose 28 year tenure at the Vatican has been marked by ever more conservative and orthodox views.

Mr. Cornwall writes: “Why had Benedict, a rigid conservative, seen fit to hasten the beatification of a man who has an iconic stature for liberal Catholic intellectuals throughout the English-speaking world? All becomes clear with Benedict’s revision of John Henry Newman’s legacy. Pope Benedict and Catholic officialdom are presenting Newman as an exemplar of unquestioning papal allegiance. ... Addressing the bishops of England and Wales in Rome this February, he declared that Newman was an example to the world of opposition to ‘dissent’. It was like saying that Churchill had been a Trotskyite all along.”

Several Catholic writers who say that Newman’s views are less liberal than Cornwall suggests have attacked Cornwall’s article.

Gabriel Fackre, emeritus professor at the Andover-Newton Theological Academy in Boston, and well-known in the ecumenical community, argues “the heart of ecumenism [or interfaith work] is when each tradition brings its own gifts to the other.”

Newman, Mr. Fackre argues, was known for the idea that theological ideas have a “trajectory” in which “you don’t abandon the teachings but let them flower – the ordination of women might be an example. It is a very supple concept of doctrine that is a long way from Benedict, who seems to rigidify doctrine.”

The pope, however, is showing a willingness to change and adapt in the Newman case, analysts point out. By tradition popes do not beatify individuals. Popes by rule only “canonize” – the next step after beatification, in a long process toward sainthood. But in Newman’s case, which has been sped up, Benedict is making an exception.

Nevada Gathering for Peace

2010-09-17T00:09:00.001+02:00

Various religious leaders prayed for world peace as the sun was rising behind hills at Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary in Reno (Nevada, USA) on September 12 morning.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed recited hymns from ancient Hindu scriptures Rig-Veda, Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita at this peace service, urging the almighty to “lead us from darkness to light”, suggesting attendees to “act selflessly” and stressing “unity and concord”.

Other religious leaders who participated in this Interfaith Sunrise Prayer Service for World Peace included: Gene Savoy Junior, Head Bishop of International Community of Christ; William Bartlett, Buddhist priest; Roya Galata, Baha’i elder; Sean Savoy, Chancellor of the Jamilian University of the Ordained; Yuki Matsushita, Bishop of Church of the Second Advent in Japan; etc.

Rajan Zed, who is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, says that all religions should work together for a just and peaceful world. Dialogue would bring us mutual enrichment, he adds.

Pope Takes A Tour in Scotland

2010-09-16T23:56:00.001+02:00

It was a day as fine as anyone - even a pope - has a right to expect of Scotland in mid-September. From the moment the flight carrying Benedict XVI touched down at Edinburgh airport with the pilots flying a papal standard from one window of the cockpit, and a union flag from the other, it was a day of light and shade.

Abrupt breezes chased off gun-metal clouds, revealing the deep azure sky beyond. And the infectious enthusiasm of hundreds of thousands of Scottish Roman Catholics began to edge aside some of the heated controversy that had built up around the first visit to Britain of this most controversial of pontiffs.

But by the end of the first day of his trip plenty of questions remained about the nature of the message he is bringing and its reception in a Britain that has changed since his predecessor, John Paul II, visited 28 years ago. The crowds who greeted Benedict were smaller.

Non-believers protested at the pope's condemnation of aggressive secularism, while his view that Britain strives to be a multicultural society struck an odd note, like that sounded by his former aide, Cardinal Walter Kasper, who in an interview published on the eve of the pope's arrival had compared Britain to a third world nation.

The cardinal withdrew from the papal party on health grounds, said by his spokesman today to be gout. But, according to a source, he was well enough on Wednesday night to attend a dinner in Rome at the German embassy to the Holy See.

The pope's day began on an unequivocally humble note aboard the Alitalia flight from Rome. Speaking to correspondents, Benedict used his strongest language to date to condemn his church's record on clerical sex abuse.

It is difficult to understand how this perversion of the priestly mission was possible, he said, adding that the church authorities were not sufficiently vigilant and insufficiently speedy and decisive in taking the necessary measures. Roman Catholicism was at a moment of penitence, humility and renewed sincerity.

The pope went on to say that paedophile priests should be excluded from all possibility of access to young people because this was an illness and free will did not work when there was this sickness. It was the first time that any of the correspondents could recall him describing paedophilia as an illness. This briefing gave the first hint of the pressure on the pontiff, pressure that can only mount during this gruelling, four-day visit. He spoke with a hoarse voice in some of his replies.

At the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, his first stop, the Scottish wind conspired to bolster diplomacy. After Benedict, the first pope to make a state visit to Britain, joined the Queen on a dais outside the gates of the royal palace, a gust lifted his zucchetto, his skullcap, and he only just caught it before it was spun away.

He took it in hand just as the band of the Scots Guard struck up the national anthem, so to millions of people watching on television it looked as if he was removing it as a sign of respect.

Then, and subsequently when he exchanged gifts with the Queen inside the palace, the 83 year-old pope appeared less reactive than usual. Seemingly concerned about his hearing, the Queen spoke more loudly than she does normally and placed her chair close to his for their brief, private conversation.

His speech, given at the rear of the palace to several hundred invited guests, brought home the historic nature of the occasion a pope, and a German one at that, being received by the titular leader of the Church of England.

Benedict's English is fluent, but coloured with a heavy, breathy accent. He spoke of a Florence Nightingale inspired by faith, warned against the exclusion of God and called on everyone involved to continue the work for peace in Northern Ireland.

The pope diplomatically praised Britain's stand against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society. And, pressing home a point that is expected to be central to his visit, Benedict went on: "As we reflect on the sobering lessons of the atheist extremism of the 20th century, let us never forget how the exclusion of God, religion and virtue from public life leads ultimately to a truncated vision of man and of society and thus to a reductive vision of the person and his destiny."

The quote was from his own encyclical on social and economic issues, Caritas in Veritate, which was published last year. That is the kind of thing you do when you are pope.

In what might be regarded as a less than warm endorsement, the pope said the United Kingdom strives to be a modern and multi-cultural society. And he added: "In this challenging enterprise, may it always maintain its respect for those traditional values and cultural expressions that more aggressive forms of secularism no longer value or even tolerate. Let it not obscure the Christian foundation that underpins its freedoms."

He was speaking to an audience that included a rabbi in a spectacularly wide-brimmed hat. And amid the colourfully robed prelates of several Christian denominations, perhaps the most strikingly dressed guest was the Pakistani-born academic Mona Siddiqui, who wore a headscarf and trouser suit in white and vivid turquoise.

Back at the entrance to the palace, where the popemobile was parked, three little girls in blue tartan skirts were waiting to present bunches of flowers to Benedict on his departure.

From that moment, as the popemobile set off through Edinburgh, Scottishness exploded into full view.

And as the bullet and bomb-proofed vehicle edged into sight, with the pope's frail body draped with a tartan shawl specially designed for his visit, the children of St Peter's Catholic primary school in Aberdeen erupted into cheers, waving their paper St Andrew's saltire flags.

Woken at 5am, they had clambered on to their coaches as dawn broke for a 130-mile trek south. Five hours later, they were in joyful mood, grinning and cheering for a television camera, before pressing themselves into prime positions against the crash barriers lining the road.

"It's a good day, said Claire Richard, a softly-spoken 11-year-old. "Well, the special thing about him is that this is the first time I have seen a pope. He doesn't come here every day and it's not even like once a year."

Despite Aberdeen's size and prominence, the city has only three Catholic primary schools and no Catholic secondaries.

"Whenever they hear about Pope Benedict [from now on], they can connect with being here today, said Jo Martin, St Peter's headteacher. "It's an opportunity for them also to see children from other Catholic schools, identifying with their heritage."

It was a rare experience - a day for Catholics to celebrate, despite the horror of the child sex abuse scandals elsewhere and their minority status within an increasingly secular state.

And it was St Ninian's day, the rarely acknowledged feast day of the reputed founder of Christianity in Scotland. Before the pope's drive-past, Ninian's arrival, on a beach in south-west Scotland in 397 was marked, by nearly 1,000 students from Catholic, ecumenical and Protestant schools across Scotland called St Ninian's, accompanied by massed pipers, some with saltire flags fixed high on their instruments.

Alongside Claire was a young Polish schoolmate, Igor Kantor. His mother Martha emigrated three years ago to find work in Aberdeen - one of the thousands of east European migrants who have swelled the school's roll and reinvigorate ailing Catholic congregations across north eastern and northern Scotland.

There are 70 Polish children, all Catholics, out of 199 enrolled at St Peters. "I never ever saw a pope before," said Igor, eight.

The church had predicted up to 100,000 people would line the 3½ miles through central Edinburgh. Early estimates suggested the crowd was nearer 60,000, though the council later claimed there were some 125,000.

At all events, it lacked the intensity and emotion of the visit by John Paul II in 1982. Then the crowds on Princes Street were 10 deep in places.

Intensity, though, was not lacking at Bellahouston park in Glasgow. A crowd of 60-70,000 holding saltires and white and yellow papal standards that streamed in a stiff, southerly wind spread out across the open green space beyond two tower blocks. It looked as if it had been occupied by a medieval army waiting for its general.

The crowds had begun arriving as early as 9.30am, small groups, clutching folding chairs and waterproof clothing. By midday they were coming in their hundreds, filling the length of Mosspark Boulevard. Young, old, infirm; Scottish, Indian, Filipino. They bore flags, carried placards and wore papal bandannas, enjoying the sunshine and the convivial atmosphere.

Few seemed to mind the hours of waiting or queuing. When the white-haired pope eventually arrived, screams erupted from the vast crowd. As he toured the park in a second popemobile, some of the faithful pushed insistently against the crash barriers, prompting security staff to call for restraint.

In his sermon, Benedict returned to a theme that is one of the keys to his papacy, and which is likely to crop in again and again in different forms in the rest of his visit.

A dictatorship of relativism threatens to obscure the unchanging truth about man's nature, his destiny and his ultimate good, he told the vast congregation.

Appealing to Scotland's Catholics to join him in the task of re-evangelisation that he set for his church, he said: "Society today needs clear voices which propose our right to live, not in a jungle of self-destructive and arbitrary freedoms, but in a society which works for the true welfare of its citizens and offers them guidance and protection in the face of their weakness and fragility.

"Do not be afraid to take up this service to your brothers and sisters, and to the future of your beloved nation, he urged as the sun in an all but clear sky began to fade on his first day in Britain."

Michael Fox, aged 18, a eucharistic minister at St Aloysius College, Glasgow, called it the one day that Catholics could be "top dog". "I went to see something that will only happen once. I'm here for the whole experience and the chance to be part of this massive community." He said he knew lots of people who saw the mass as a chance to connect with the church.

"I'm embracing it all, my faith is very important to me. Look at the crowd, look. Every year there's the Orange walks to adjust to. We change our lifestyle, we ask one day for the pope, once in 28 years, and people are put out."

Hindus and Jews Together Next Week

2010-09-16T01:06:00.000+02:00

Hindus have sent early greetings to Jewish communities world over for Jewish autumn festival Sukkot (Festival of Booths), which begins on September 22 this year.
Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a release in Nevada (USA) today, expressed warmest greetings on the upcoming Sukkot; wishing happiness, health, peace, joy, prosperity, blessings and good times to all the Jews.
Rajan Zed, who is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that all religions should work together for a just and peaceful world. Dialogue would bring us mutual enrichment, he added.
The festival of Sukkot, lasting seven days, is one of the three great pilgrimage festivals along with Passover and Shavuot. It is a joyful holiday and is referred as “z’man simhateinu” (season of our joy). It is also harvest festival during which it is customary to construct and live in a temporary booth known as sukkah.Judaism is a monotheistic religion of world’s about 14 million Jews whose most sacred text is Torah. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

Orissa State Hindus Force Christians to Convert

2010-09-15T00:19:00.000+02:00

Hindu militants are continuing to force the conversions of Christians in the troubled Orissa state, according to the local Catholic leader.

Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar said that the forcible conversion of Christians to Hinduism have been reported in 10 villages in the Kandhamal district: the region that bore the brunt of the anti-Christian violence of 2008. “The state describes itself as secular; hence, it should not condone such violence,” the archbishop told Naveen Pattnaik’s the chief minister of Orissa.

The archbishop also said that the state has an obligation to ensure the security of Christians who fled from their villages in 2008 to escape the violence, and have not yet felt safe enough to return.

Buddhism Still a Stranger in America

2010-09-14T01:45:00.001+02:00

TAHLEQUAH — Although more Americans are becoming interested in Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions remains foreign – in many ways – to most people in this country.

Many do not realize that Prince Siddhartra Gautama, who became known as the Buddha, lived in the fifth century BCE. They may picture a Buddhist as an impoverished citizen of India or a Tibetan monk, but not realize the vast amount of people and territories where Buddhism is a way of life.

And they may find it difficult to imagine a religion not centered in the concept of an all-powerful, monotheistic god who created the universe.

Those who would like to learn more about Buddhism have the opportunity to do so during a 12-week series “Great Courses: Buddhism,” at 7 p.m., Wednesdays, at St. Basil’s Episcopal Church, 814 N. Vinita Ave. Although the first session was held last Wednesday, the Rev. Debora Jennings said the majority of the study will begin this week, and it’s not too late for people to get involved.

Several people turned out for the first overview session.

“What brought you here tonight in the rain?” Jennings asked them.

“My wife,” one man replied frankly.

“I like meditation and I’ve always done that. For me, meditation works better than prayer, sometimes,” Elizabeth Wood said. She finds it a good way to turn inward, and frequently meditates while knitting or performing such tasks as chopping vegetables.

“If I go out and work in my garden, that’s a form of meditation,” she said.

Randolph Friend said he also participates in meditation groups.

Another woman said she was interested because Buddhism is a part of so many people’s lives.

“There are many forms of Buddhism,” Jennings said. “Buddhism frequently gets linked to a country, possibly the most is to Tibet and the Dalai Lama. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama.”

He did not try to convert his listeners to Buddhism, but told his listeners to follow their religion, but practice loving kindness.

Jennings said her daughter-in-law is Buddhist, and their family is multicultural.

Professor Malcolm David Eckel of Boston University provided the information on the video. He said Buddhism began in India, where the Buddha lived in the years around 566 BCE. The religion spread through southeast Asia to China and Japan, and in the past century has become more apparent in the western world.

Eckel said Jesus and Mohammed brought messages, communications from the divine. The Buddha, on the other hand, served as an example humans should follow rather than a divine prophet.

Buddhists make pilgrimages to holy sites and share rituals and patterns of worship, he said. Buddhism teaches how to deal with the deep issues of life, and how people can live to be peaceful, happy, compassionate and free from suffering.

While gods are a part of Buddhist life, Buddhists deny the existence of a single, all-powerful god who created the world, Eckel said. Buddhism challenges many people’s understanding of religion and what is the ultimate reality. They believe the immortal soul is an illusion, that there is a process of constant change.

The principal of Triple Refuge is, “I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma [teachings of Buddha], I take refuge in the Sangha [community of Buddhists],” according to Eckel.

The classic image of the Buddha, in the lotus position, is that of serene contemplation. However, he didn’t spend his life in that position, Eckel said. The prince became awakened when he realized the role of suffering in life, and what people could do to end their suffering.

Buddhism has had an impact on various areas of American society, from philosophy, to arts, to sports.

“We study religious traditions such as Buddhism to encounter the other and interrogate the familiar,” Eckel said. “It will give you a new way of looking at your own traditions. Buddhism really is to look at the world in a different way.”

“There are those who would argue that Buddhism is not a religion, but a philosophy,” Jennings said.

She said it derives from the Hindu religion, which has approximately 4.9 million gods.

“I always thought of Buddhism as Hinduism without a caste system,” Wood said.

She brought a book she had checked out from the Tahlequah Public Library, written by an American Buddhist who described himself as a red-meat eater, as opposed to the vegetarian image some have of Buddhists.

Thomas Merton, a 20th century Catholic monk, linked Buddhism and Christianity in a contemplative tradition. The philosophy encouraged use of right action, right thinking, right speech. Merton practiced such Buddhist traditions as Zen meditation and walking meditation.

“As you get into the different countries, Buddhism becomes very political,” Jennings said.

The group discussed the Buddha as a man who lived in a time when much was going on in the world. He was a contemporary of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, and the Jewish exile in Babylon. They speculated about possible influences of Buddhism on Jesus.

“Some people say there’s a cosmic consciousness that just happens, that people come up with similar ideas at the same time,” Friend said.

“Jesus did not grow up in a vacuum,” Jennings said. “If you look a the book of Matthew, there are many places where the teachings of Jesus are almost identical to the teachings of Buddhism.”

Group members thought it’s possible that Jesus may have spent some of the “lost years,” between his appearance in the temple at age 12 and the time he began teaching at about age 30, in India or other places where he was exposed to a wide range of philosophies. Israel was in the midst of major trade routes and he would have met people from many places.

“We really don’t know, but there are a number of scholars who think Jesus must have known something of the Eastern traditions,” Jennings said.

Future sessions of the Buddhism series will discuss the life of the Buddha, his teachings, the growth of the movement and Buddhism in the world today.

Learn more

A 12-week session, “Great Courses: Buddhism” is ongoing at 7 p.m., Wednesdays, at St. Basil’s Episcopal Church, 814 N. Vinita Ave. The courses consist of a video followed by discussion. The first program, last Wednesday, was an overview and the major study will begin this Wednesday with a look at the life of the Buddha. The sessions are free to the public.

Religious Intolerance Continues

2010-09-13T04:29:00.000+02:00

Hindus have asked European Commission (EC) to demand adequate compensation from France and Italy for Roma (Gypsy) communities whose settlements were demolished and/or they were deported.Noted Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that France and Italy seemed to be defying the pressure and continuing with their maltreatment of Roma.

It was time for EC to show some guts and censure France and Italy.

Targeting of helpless Roma community was clearly xenophobia, discrimination and stereotyping.

Europe's most persecuted and discriminated community, Roma were reportedly facing apartheid conditions in Europe.

Roma reportedly regularly encountered social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc., Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, added. (ANI)

Lord Ganesha's Path to Spiritual Enlightenment

2010-09-12T19:09:00.000+02:00

The form of Lord Ganesha is no doubt endearing and it captures one and all, young and old. The much celebrated form of the Lord Ganesha is intriguing with an elephant head and a human body with a pot belly. Lets take a look into the inner meaning of Lord Ganesha's form so as to celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi in a more fulfilling way.

Elephant Head

The elephant head of Lord Ganesha is symbolic of His eternal Wisdom. It also denotes His intelligence, auspiciousness and intellectual prowess. The elephant is considered as the largest and intelligent of all animals. Hence the ultimate Wisdom of the Lord is depicted in the elephant head.

The elephant is gentle and graceful in its bearing yet its wrath can be disastrous when provoked. The elephant head thus portrays that Ganesha is extremely compassionate and gentle with His devotees, yet His wrath can be disastrous in the face of evil.

Ganesha is also depicted as tactful in His undertakings with an effortless ease which portrays His wisdom. His huge fan like ears of an elephant depicts its capacity and His readiness in listening to the unending and numerous woes of the human folk.

Pot belly

The pot belly of Ganesha denotes the limitless space. It is symbolic of the fact that the Lord is the source of all that is manifested. His pot belly thus reveals the fact that it holds the entire manifested universe in it. Yet the Lord is beyond the manifested universe for in Him does it exists. Further more it is also symbolic of a perfect being who looks at both the pleasant and unpleasant with the same attitude, the result of which is perfect bliss which is represented by His delightful, endearing form.

The Trunk

The trunk of Lord Ganesha depicts discrimination or Viveka which is one of the most important aspect for enlightenment.

The broken tusk

The broken tusk of Lord Ganesha portrays sacrifice which commemorates the significance of the Lord breaking His tusk to write the scripture (Mahabharata) while sage Vyasa dictated it for common good.

Four arms

The four arms of Ganesha are symbolic of subjective evolution. His right arm holds an axe or a cutter, a rope or a noose is held in His left arm, a sweet modak in his lower left arm and the lower right hand portrays the hand that showers blessings.

In one's evolution subjectively towards liberation or Moksha, the axe severs the inessentials which refer to one's unwanted materialistic attachment and bonding, the noose or the rope cautions one against the entanglement in Maya or illusion which could strangle one to ceaseless misery while the rope also depicts the recognition of one's spiritual goal; the Modak represents the sweetness of enlightenment and the hand that shows the sign of benediction promises protection and bestows ultimate deliverance.

Modak

The sweet Modak that Ganesha holds is a call or an invitation to savour the sweetness of spiritual enlightenment or self realisation. Hence Lord Ganesha urges one to partake of the bliss of enlightenment and to be eternally immersed in it. It also represents the fullness or the absolute aspect of the reality.

The Mouse

The mouse which is the vehicle of Lord Ganesha represents the ego of man which sneaks its way into even a small admission if not alert. The mouse lies at the feet of the Lord to represent the Lord's victory over it and also holds the truth that the supreme reigns the ego. On realising the true self on surrendering to the Lord, the ego can be vanquished once for all to bask in bliss.

Further more the disproportionate form of the Lord renders a stillness to the mind which portrays the mind's defeat in its incapability of conceptualizing the Lord .

Let us thus celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi realising the inner meaning of the aspects of Lord Ganesha. Let us do away with the binding worldly attachments by freeing ourselves from the noose of illusion with discrimination and vanquish the ego by surrendering to the Lord who promises protection and attain the sweetness of bliss of spiritual enlightenment.

Peace for Life Makes a Statement

2010-09-11T00:44:00.001+02:00

Press Statement
PEACE FOR LIFE
September 10, 2010

We in Peace for Life, an international faith-based movement engaged in interfaith solidarity for the struggle against global hegemony, support the call of religious leaders in the United States of America to put an end to the anti-Muslim bigotry that has swept many parts of the country in response to the planned construction of an Islamic community centre in New York City, two blocks from where the World Trade Center once stood.

We denounce in particular the anti-Islam rhetoric and acts of some Christian groups in the USA against the Muslim community such as the threat of the evangelical Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida to publicly burn 200 copies of the Holy Qur'an on the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Such acts only demonstrate that religious extremism and fundamentalism exist on both sides of the current Christian-Muslim divide in the U.S. war on terror. Its adherents believe war is part of God's will and they have been chosen to impose "God's will".

We call for an end to violence done in the name of religion and an end to intolerance. We call on people of all faiths and convictions to reject wars of aggression and subjugation; to reject fear-based militarised national security; and to work for lasting peace grounded in justice.

We urge the churches and other religious groups to work for furthering understanding among people of different faiths; for healing of any grievances of the past for which true contrition of the perpetrators is an imperative, and to work together so that justice and peace may prevail.

In these times of intolerance, divisions and violence, we affirm our founding principles:

* As Christians whose faith teaches us the spirituality of resistance against those who arrogate power and use the scriptures to divide people according to religious beliefs and cultural practices;

* As Muslims who believe that Islam is a religion of tolerance, compassion and peace, and who disapprove of the terrorist acts committed by the militant fringe within the community;

* And as people of various faiths who celebrate our common humanity and the universality of our spiritual heritage; who recognise that solidarity among people of all religions and convictions is necessary if we are to frustrate the certainty of an all-powerful empire and its wars of occupation and plunder.

In times of wars and rumors of war, of generalised violence and of confusion and fear, all of us are challenged by the basic tenets of our respective religions to love our neighbours, to be makers of peace, and to do unto others as we would have others do unto us.

On behalf of Peace for Life

(Sgd.) REV. EUNICE SANTANA MELECIO
Moderator

10 September 2010

Contact:
Peace for Life Secretariat
2/F, BLVM Ecumenical Center
879 EDSA, West Triangle
Quezon City, Philippines 1104
Tel/Fax: (+632) 9278043
secretariat@peaceforlife.org
http://www.peaceforlife.org

Seeking Spiritual Enlightenment Through Yoga

2010-09-10T04:29:00.000+02:00

Yoga can be a great workout, but it can be intimidating. We'll show you how one yoga teacher has broadened her practice to embrace plus-sized participants.
Yoga
Yoga is an ancient practice that probably dates back more than 5,000 years. The term, yoga, comes from the ancient Sanskrit language and means “yoke” or “union.” Experts believe this term refers to a “union” between the mind and body, ultimately leading to spiritual enlightenment. Yoga activities use a combination of postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayamas) and, sometimes, meditation.

Researchers estimate more than 5 million people in the U.S. practice yoga. Many use the techniques to reduce stress, promote relaxation and promote flexibility and strength. Studies show yoga may also have more far-reaching benefits for health, improving blood pressure and heart rate, increasing lung capacity and reducing fatigue. Research also suggests yoga may improve triglyceride levels and insulin use and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

HeavyWeight Yoga®
Almost everyone could benefit from yoga, including those who are plus-sized. Yet, research shows obese people are much less likely to practice yoga than normal-weight peers. Austin, TX yoga instructor Abby Lentz believes that’s because overweight people feel out of place in a traditional yoga class. In addition, many overweight people are unable to perform some of the standard poses.

As a plus-sized person herself, Lentz understands the embarrassment, potential humiliation and difficulty of keeping up with others in a traditional yoga class. So, she developed HeavyWeight Yoga® for her overweight clients. The class is not designed to promote weight loss. Instead, she focuses on what she calls the three A’s: Awareness, Acceptance and Affection. The ultimate goal is for participants to love their bodies. Certain yoga poses are not safe for people who are overweight. So, Lentz has modified some poses and takes the class at a different pace from traditional yoga classes.
SOURCES
Abby Lentz (featured in story), Yoga Instructor, Austin, TX, Abby@Heartfeltyoga.com .WRITTEN BY KRISTI RUNYON
WEDNESDAY, 08 SEPTEMBER 2010 19:03

Chinese Jews Welcome New Year 2010

2010-09-09T01:42:00.002+02:00

Among the many Israelis and Jews around the world who will welcome the Jewish New Year are also 1,000 residents of China's oldest Jewish community.

"From here in Kaifeng, China, we want to send our best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year to our brothers - the people of Israel," says Wang Jian, one of the members of the city's Jewish community.

Jian is particularly excited when talking about Israel. His son Yaacov made aliyah last year.

"Our ancestors have lived in China for over 1,000 years, and we are proud of our Jewish heritage and culture. We celebrate Rosh Hashana as the start of a new Hebrew year, and it is for us a very meaningful and important holiday. Like Jews everywhere, we dip apples in the honey, sing songs, and pray for a year of peace, health and aliyah!," he says.

The Jewish community of Kaifeng was founded in the 9th century, apparently by Jewish merchants from Persia or Iraq. The city's synagogue was built in 1163. At its height the community consisted of 5,000 Jews, many of whom were involved in Kaifeng's commerce.

All of Kaifeng's Jewish descendants belong to one of seven clans, each identifiable by its surname and family trees that stretch back for centuries.

Legend has it that when the Jews first arrived in Kaifeng, the Chinese emperor, unable to pronounce the Jews' Hebrew-sounding names, bestowed his surname and the surnames of six of his ministers on them.

These seven names - Zhao, Li, Ai, Zhang, Gao, Jin and Shi - were used by Kaifeng's Jews throughout the centuries. It is believed that the Li family's original Hebrew name was Levi, and the Gao family was Cohen.

Library to Honor Dalai Lama

2010-09-08T01:22:00.002+02:00

Dharamshala: The King Library on Miami University's campus has put on display the largest book in the world as part of its special collection.

“The Bhutan: A Visual Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan Kingdom” is part of an exhibit in honour of the upcoming visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Bhutan measures 5 feet by 7 feet when opened and weighs 133 pounds, The Oxford Press reported.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will make a presentation at Miami University on 21 October in Millett Hall titled, "Ethics in a Modern World."

The display is free and open to the public during special collections hours. Everyone is invited to make an appointment to turn a page in the book, Janet Stuckey, of special collections, was quoted as saying by The Oxford Press.

“Buddhism: An Exhibit in Honor of the Dalai Lama’s Visit” features books written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Time Magazine cover featuring him, the Life cover on his flight from Tibet to India and more.

Just a few of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 72 publications are on display, but the library does have all on hand. Many of his books focus on happiness, Stuckey said.

“It isn’t necessarily about Buddhism, but it’s about living in harmony. That’s why he’s a man of peace,” Stuckey said.

Miami established a relationship with the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala, India, during summer workshops in Tibet led by two faculty in anthropology from 2004-2008. His Holiness is a patron of this institute, one of the premier institutions for study of Buddhist thought and philosophy. â€¨â€¨

After university faculty visited Dharamsala and signed an affiliation agreement, Miami began offering a Tibetan studies semester programme last fall. It will be offered annually in the fall. â€¨â€¨

Venerable Geshe Kalsang Damdul, from the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, visited Miami and held a prayer flag ceremony here last February to commemorate the affiliation agreement.
tibet.net

Religious ICON Dies at 91

2010-09-07T00:02:00.002+02:00

Raimon Panikkar, a Roman Catholic theologian whose embrace of Hindu scriptures and Buddhism made him an influential voice for promoting dialogue among the world’s religions, died on Aug. 26 at his home in Tavertet, Spain. He was 91.His death was announced on his Web site, raimon-panikkar.org.

Mr. Panikkar was a Roman Catholic priest and a professor of philosophy at the University of Madrid when he made his first trip to India in 1954. It was a turning point in his spiritual life and a homecoming of sorts: his father was a Hindu from the south of India who had married a Spanish Roman Catholic.

While studying Indian philosophy and religion at the University of Mysore and Banaras Hindu University, Mr. Panikkar befriended several Western monks seeking Eastern forms for the expression of their Christian beliefs. It was an eye-opening experience.

“I left Europe as a Christian, I discovered I was a Hindu and returned as a Buddhist without ever having ceased to be Christian,” he later wrote.

The rest of his life was dedicated to promoting, as a university teacher and in dozens of books, an expansion of the Judaic and Greco-Roman foundations of Christianity to embrace the insights of non-Western religions.

“He was one of the pioneers in opening up Christianity to other religions and learning from them,” Joseph Prabhu, a professor of philosophy at California State University, Los Angeles, and the editor of “The Intercultural Challenge of Raimon Panikkar” (1996), said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. “We can see the new waves of Christianity moving toward the non-European world in the 21st century, and he prepared the ground for an authentic dialogue between Christianity and other faiths, and beyond that for the cross-cultural conversation which marks our globalized world.”

Raimundo Panikkar Alemany was born on Nov. 3, 1918, in Barcelona, where his father, after living in Britain, had opened a chemical plant. After attending a Jesuit secondary school, he began studying philosophy in Barcelona.

When the Spanish Civil War broke out, he fled to Bonn to continue his university studies, but while he was on vacation at home, Germany invaded Poland. He remained in Spain, earning a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Madrid in 1946 and a doctorate in chemistry in 1958.

In 1940 he had become friends with Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, the canonized founder of Opus Dei, a conservative Catholic movement of clerics and laity; Father Escrivá urged him to train for the priesthood. He was ordained in 1946 and for the next 20 years worked closely with Opus Dei. He earned a third doctorate, in theology, at the Lateran University in Rome in 1961.

In his dissertation, Mr. Panikkar analyzed St. Thomas Aquinas’s interpretation of the Brahma Sutras, one of Hinduism’s fundamental texts, comparing it to the interpretation of the eighth-century Hindu philosopher Adi Sankara. He argued that Christ, as a universal symbol of the divine and the human intertwined, belonged to the world, not just to Christianity, and could be found under other names in other religions. His dissertation was later published as “The Unknown Christ of Hinduism” (1981).

In his later work, he tried to recast Christianity as a nontriumphal faith and to combat what he called “tribal Christology.” Christianity, he argued, was not intended to be an invasion force bent on conquering other gods and, in the colonial period, other peoples.

Mr. Panikkar became a visiting professor at Harvard Divinity School in 1966 and a professor of religious studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1972. For many years he taught in the spring and spent the rest of the year doing research in India.

In 1987 he moved to Tavertet, in the hills north of Barcelona, where he founded the Raimon Panikkar Vivarium Foundation, a center for intercultural studies.

A year later he was invited to deliver the Gifford Lectures, joining a list of philosophers and writers that has included William James, Alfred North Whitehead and Iris Murdoch. His lectures, on the concept he called “the cosmotheandric experience,” or the interplay between the divine, the human and the cosmic, were published in revised form in 2009 as “The Rhythm of Being.”

His many books include “The Trinity and the Religious Experience of Man” (1973), “The Cosmotheandric Experience: Emerging Religious Consciousness” (1993), “Christophany: The Fullness of Man” (2004) and “The Experience of God: Icons of the Mystery” (2006).

He is survived by a brother, the Spanish philosopher and journalist Salvador Pániker, and a sister, Mercedes, both of Barcelona.

“The whole history of Christianity is one of enrichment and renewal brought about by elements that came from outside itself,” Mr. Panikkar told The Christian Century in 2000, adding, “If the church wishes to live, it should not be afraid of assimilating elements that come from other religious traditions, whose existence it can today no longer ignore.”

Buddhist School Intolerant of Christian Teacher

2010-09-06T06:55:00.001+02:00

A blind teacher at a Buddhist school in Choglamsar town in Leh district was beaten up by Buddhist activists for allegedly carrying out conversion activity on the behest of Christian missionaries. Solomon Rai alias Ram Kumar was teaching at the Maha Bodhi International Meditation Centre for last two
years. He had allegedly registered himself under the Hindu name Ram Kumar in the school service book. He and his wife Junita (32), who is also blind, were teaching six blind students in the school. The school authorities had provided them residential accommodation.
"He was picked up by our boys on Wednesday when he was trying to influence Nepalese Sherpa labourers staying at Choglamsar to accept Christianity. This sort of conversion is not acceptable and we will not allow it," said P.T. Kunzong, general secretary of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA).
He, however, regretted the use of violence by LBA members.
"The incident has given Buddhism a bad name. We are known as a peace loving community," Kunzong said.
Rai has filed an FIR against LBA activists, the police said.
"He filed an FIR on Thursday. But as he is blind, he is not able to identify the people who attacked him. We are seeking help of his friend who might have seen the attackers," the station house officer of Leh said.
LBA activists allegedly took Rai to Gompa Soma monastery in Leh town where he was beaten in presence of many onlookers.
"How could they beat a blind man? This is disgusting and totally unacceptable. We are living in a secular country," one of Rai's friends said, on condition of anonymity.
LBA alleged that Rai was being paid Rs 3,000 by Christian missionaries for organising a meeting of 15 people where he could give sermons on Christianity and Rs 150 for bringing any individual to Church.
"We have recorded his statement and will distribute the CD soon," Kunzong said.

US Citizens Want to Be "Tolerant"

2010-09-05T04:59:00.001+02:00

Sacramento's famous diversity was on full display at the Capitol's East Steps this morning as 50 community leaders across faith and race condemned the rising tide of Islamophobia across California and the nation.
"Aren't we long past the freaky demonization of one group that lets us ... pretend we are defending America?" Elizabeth Sholes of the CA Council of Churches/California Church Impact told the crowd. "Muslims came here for the same reason my great-grandfather did - for freedom, a better life and a safer world."
Though Sacramento's broad-based civil rights leadership has helped keep the Capital City safe, hate is hitting closer to home. In the last two weeks, a brick was tossed at the Madera Islamic Center, and vandals have left signs reading, "Wake up America, the enemy is here" and "No temple for the god of terrorism."
From the cab river who had his throat slit in New York after telling a passenger he was Muslim to the mosque that was set ablaze in Tennessee, Muslim Americans feel they are increasingly under siege, said Irfan Haq, president of the Council of Sacramento Valley Islamic organizations.
The controversy over the issue of an Islamic Center being built near the site of 9-11 has spun "out of control," Haq said. "People are saying Islam is evil, Islam should pushed from our shore. ... Muslims are an integral part of this country contributing in many ways - this is a country all Muslims are proud of. Let them live in peace."

Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/09/01/2061974/gathering-at-capitol-condemns.html#ixzz0ycWNVjND