“I pray that these sacrifices have not been in vain” – Karmapa releases statement on Tibetan self-immolations
“I pray that these sacrifices have not been in vain” – Karmapa releases statement on Tibetan self-immolations |
- “I pray that these sacrifices have not been in vain” – Karmapa releases statement on Tibetan self-immolations
- “I pray that these sacrifices have not been in vain” – Karmapa releases statement on Tibetan self-immolations
- Pushed To Be Faith
- Review of World of Buddhist Journal ( Vol 29 - 2012)
- Blessings on Magha Puja and Sangha Day
- A day in the life of the Phap Van Buddhist temple
- Monk who self-immolated 'called for Dalai Lama return'
- Studying Buddhism in Practice
- Great Eastern Sun: The Shambhala Community in Nova Scotia
- Maha Bodhivastu, the Great American Stupa for World Peace (with video)
- Being Good For Others & The Elephant In The Corner
| Posted: 06 Feb 2012 08:00 AM PST
Reports have just emerged that three more Tibetans set themselves ablaze within a single day in eastern Tibet. This comes shortly after four Tibetans immolated themselves and others died in demonstrations in Tibet during the month of January. As tensions escalate, instead of showing concern and trying to understand the causes of the situation, the Chinese authorities respond with increasing force and oppression. Each new report of a Tibetan death brings me immense pain and sadness; three in a single day is more than the heart can bear. I pray that these sacrifices have not been in vain, but will yield a change in policy that will bring our Tibetan brothers and sisters relief. Having been given the name Karmapa, I belong to a 900 year old reincarnation lineage that has historically avoided any political engagement, a tradition I have no intention of changing. And yet as a Tibetan, I have great sympathy and affection for the Tibetan people and I have great misgivings about remaining silent while they are in pain. Their welfare is my greatest concern. Tibetan demonstrations and self-immolations are a symptom of deep but unacknowledged dissatisfaction. If Tibetans were given a genuine opportunity to lead their lives as they wished, preserving their language, religion and culture, they would neither be demonstrating nor sacrificing their lives. Since 1959, we Tibetans have faced unimaginable loss, yet we have found benefit in adversity. Many of us rediscovered our true identity as Tibetans. We rediscovered a sense of national unity among the people of the three provinces of Tibet. And we came to value a unifying leader, in the person of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. These factors have given us all great grounds for hope. China speaks of having brought development to Tibet, and when I lived there it was materially comfortable. Yet prosperity and development have not benefited Tibetans in the ways that they consider most valuable. Material comfort counts for little without inner contentment. Tibetans live with the constant suspicion that they will be forced to act against their conscience and denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Chinese authorities persistently portray His Holiness as the enemy. They have rebuffed his repeated efforts to find a peaceful and negotiated solution to the Tibetan-Chinese problem. They dismiss the heartfelt faith and loyalty with which the Tibetan people universally regard His Holiness. Even Tibetans born in Tibet decades after His Holiness the Dalai Lama had gone into exile still regard him as their guide and refuge not only for this life, but for life after life. Therefore, constantly depicting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in hostile terms is an affront that benefits no one. In fact, striking at the heart of Tibetan faith damages the prospect of winning Tibetans' trust. This is neither effective nor wise. I call on the authorities in Beijing to see past the veneer of wellbeing that local officials present. Acknowledging the real human distress of Tibetans in Tibet and taking full responsibility for what is happening there would lay a wise basis for building mutual trust between Tibetans and the Chinese government. Rather than treating this as an issue of political opposition, it would be far more effective for Chinese authorities to treat this as a matter of basic human welfare. In these difficult times, I urge Tibetans in Tibet: Stay true to yourselves, keep your equanimity in the face of hardship and remain focused on the long term. Always bear in mind that your lives have great value, as human beings and as Tibetans. With the prospect of the Tibetan New Year in sight, I offer my prayers that Tibetans, our Chinese brothers and sisters, and our friends and supporters across Indian and around the world may find lasting happiness and true peace. May the New Year usher in an era of harmony, characterized by love and respect for each other and for the earth that is our common home. Ogyen Trinley Dorje Read More @ Source 
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| Posted: 06 Feb 2012 07:00 AM PST
Reports have just emerged that three more Tibetans set themselves ablaze within a single day in eastern Tibet. This comes shortly after four Tibetans immolated themselves and others died in demonstrations in Tibet during the month of January. As tensions escalate, instead of showing concern and trying to understand the causes of the situation, the Chinese authorities respond with increasing force and oppression. Each new report of a Tibetan death brings me immense pain and sadness; three in a single day is more than the heart can bear. I pray that these sacrifices have not been in vain, but will yield a change in policy that will bring our Tibetan brothers and sisters relief. Having been given the name Karmapa, I belong to a 900 year old reincarnation lineage that has historically avoided any political engagement, a tradition I have no intention of changing. And yet as a Tibetan, I have great sympathy and affection for the Tibetan people and I have great misgivings about remaining silent while they are in pain. Their welfare is my greatest concern. Tibetan demonstrations and self-immolations are a symptom of deep but unacknowledged dissatisfaction. If Tibetans were given a genuine opportunity to lead their lives as they wished, preserving their language, religion and culture, they would neither be demonstrating nor sacrificing their lives. Since 1959, we Tibetans have faced unimaginable loss, yet we have found benefit in adversity. Many of us rediscovered our true identity as Tibetans. We rediscovered a sense of national unity among the people of the three provinces of Tibet. And we came to value a unifying leader, in the person of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. These factors have given us all great grounds for hope. China speaks of having brought development to Tibet, and when I lived there it was materially comfortable. Yet prosperity and development have not benefited Tibetans in the ways that they consider most valuable. Material comfort counts for little without inner contentment. Tibetans live with the constant suspicion that they will be forced to act against their conscience and denounce His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Chinese authorities persistently portray His Holiness as the enemy. They have rebuffed his repeated efforts to find a peaceful and negotiated solution to the Tibetan-Chinese problem. They dismiss the heartfelt faith and loyalty with which the Tibetan people universally regard His Holiness. Even Tibetans born in Tibet decades after His Holiness the Dalai Lama had gone into exile still regard him as their guide and refuge not only for this life, but for life after life. Therefore, constantly depicting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in hostile terms is an affront that benefits no one. In fact, striking at the heart of Tibetan faith damages the prospect of winning Tibetans' trust. This is neither effective nor wise. I call on the authorities in Beijing to see past the veneer of wellbeing that local officials present. Acknowledging the real human distress of Tibetans in Tibet and taking full responsibility for what is happening there would lay a wise basis for building mutual trust between Tibetans and the Chinese government. Rather than treating this as an issue of political opposition, it would be far more effective for Chinese authorities to treat this as a matter of basic human welfare. In these difficult times, I urge Tibetans in Tibet: Stay true to yourselves, keep your equanimity in the face of hardship and remain focused on the long term. Always bear in mind that your lives have great value, as human beings and as Tibetans. With the prospect of the Tibetan New Year in sight, I offer my prayers that Tibetans, our Chinese brothers and sisters, and our friends and supporters across Indian and around the world may find lasting happiness and true peace. May the New Year usher in an era of harmony, characterized by love and respect for each other and for the earth that is our common home. For more visit the Karmapa's office online. Read More @ Source
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| Posted: 06 Feb 2012 06:00 AM PST I've a huge amount of sympathy for parents with small children. Sympathy for parents generally, especially when pushed to the limits of patience. This chap was pushed by his youngster one night and in the process realized the Bodhisattva Vow. A leap of faith to BE faith I'd say. Last night I listened to the Podcast of the 3rd Feb. episode of Womans Hour orientated towards the disciplining of children. Interesting listening for parents and anybody, the issue of smacking children was on the table. We all encounter children in our lives and sometimes we encounter the child in the adult too! An adult throwing a full blown tantrum is something to behold. Those occasions have pushed me to simply be there with the person. Pushed past any shoulds or should nots to a place of waiting. Waiting in readiness. Thinking about it waiting still has one as an active agent. Another way of putting that might be to maintain a reflective interior in the midst of conditions. Just sometimes when in extremity the reflective interior finds us! Read More @ Source
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| Review of World of Buddhist Journal ( Vol 29 - 2012) Posted: 06 Feb 2012 01:00 AM PST The Sunday Times, Feb 5, 2012Colombo, Sri Lanka -- The 2012 issue of the World of Buddhist - identified as "the international Buddhist magazine" was released recently. The contributors discuss a variety of topics ranging from whether politics is a dirty game to the contribution made by learned Buddhist scholars and a few topics related to the teachings of the Buddha.
Describing politics as "a game of the many for the gain of the few", Dr. A. D.T. E. Perera is quite convinced that today's politicians in Sri Lanka are corrupt and are not concerned about their behaviour so long as they hold the authority through parliament. There is bound to be a debate on his line of argument in the article, in which he also refers to the Buddhist kings who were benevolent despots ruling the country, with a paternal feeling. He concludes the article highlighting the need for everyone to "be aware of the cruel, cunning politician and make an effort to build up a new political culture where the cunning villain, the uncouth politician will have no say in moulding the nation."
The writer refers to the 'Naraseeha Gatha' - the verses sung by the mother to the son when Princess Yasodhara first sighted the Buddha - the then husband and father - coming to Kapilavastupura after seven years. "She and her son are still members of the royal family. He is now a mendicant monk. Their outlook necessarily is that of lay people. Even so, there is nothing but praise for the erstwhile husband and father in the 'gathas' - hardly the attitude of a wronged wife," Ms. Bodinagoda states. After Prince Siddartha left, she was quite at home in the palace. Ms. Bodinagoda goes further and points out that the Princess did nothing to try and get Prince Siddhartha back when she knew about his renunciation. She also refused all the suitors who made a claim to take her hand when Prince Siddartha's renunciation became common knowledge. She interprets Princess Yasodhara's refusal to come down from upstairs demanding that the Buddha who had come to the palace, should come and see her not as an attitude of a cowed down abandoned wife but as that of a cherished daughter and well loved wife. When her answer was "Let him come and see me", He goes to see her recognising her feelings after He left her. "Given all this surely they must have been sympathetic towards each other. Though undoubtedly grieved at her loss, surely did she understand and support her husband's renunciation," the writer says. She gives further examples of her behaviour to support this argument -like allowing Prince Rahula to follow the father. She also mentions Princess Yasodhara's psyche being sufficiently progressed as to become an 'arahant' is further proof of her being in possession of the qualities of detachment, selflessness and compassion to an appreciable degree. After discussing the issue further, Ms. Bodinagoda concludes that as one stops being personal and becomes detached, doubt, pain and any other undesirable mental states will no longer prevail.
An article by the late Ven Professor Walpola Rahula Maha Thera gives the reader a quick overview of development of Buddhist in its early stages. The founding father of the Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya - Asoka Weeraratna (later Mitirigala Dhammanisanthi Thera) has been recognised in the journal with the service he rendered in developing the much respected 'aranya'. Senaka Weeraratna, Hony. Secretary - German Dharmaduta Society makes an interesting suggestion to commemorate the 2600th Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanthi - the formation of a League of Buddhist Nations. Of course, one can argue there are enough Buddhist organizations and what is needed today is action. I wondered why the significance of the Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanthi has been totally ignored in the journal. In fact, most of the selected articles are ones written some time ago as some of the dates indicate. Also, there are so many contemporary writers who write eloquently and would have been willing to contribute to a journal that is distributed free. More international participation for a journal of this nature will lift up its image. Read More @ Source
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| Blessings on Magha Puja and Sangha Day Posted: 06 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST Chakra News, February 5, 2012
Happy Magha Puja & Sangha Day, February 2012 Bangkok, Thailand -- Sangha Day, also called Magha Puja Day, is one of the most holiest days on the Theravada Buddhist calendar and is celebrated across many nations, but most common in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
Magha Puja day marks the four auspicious occasions, which happened nine months after the Enlightenment of the Buddha at Veruvana Bamboo Grove, near Rajagaha in Northern India. This special day also commemorates Buddha's visit to Veruvana Monastery in the city of Rajagaha, when 1,250 arhats are said to have returned from their great wanderings to pay their respects to the Buddha. Sangha Day is celebrated on the full moon day of the 3rd lunar month which is usually March but falls in February in 2012. Magha Puja/Sangha Day is a public holiday in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and is an occasion when Buddhists tend to go to the temple to perform merit-making activities. Celebrations for Sangha Day range widely by devotees and can also include: family gatherings, community gatherings, gift giving, lighting of oil lamps, meditation, chanting, food, flowers and the reaffirmation of commitments to Buddha. Video: Sangha Day celebrated in Thailand James Burke : The Day The Universe Changed: "Worlds Without End", 1 of 5 (CC) 
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| A day in the life of the Phap Van Buddhist temple Posted: 05 Feb 2012 11:00 PM PST by Mark Dimitroff, The National Post, Feb 4, 2012Mississauga, ON (Canada) -- For years I've wondered what goes on behind the doors of a Buddhist temple. What are the monks like? What do they do? The Phap Van Buddhist temple and Cultural Centre, at 490 Traders Blvd. E., near Kennedy Road and Britannia, in Mississauga, helped me answer these questions.
Built in June 2000, the temple services the needs of west end Vietnamese Buddhist worshippers and, in May 2010, hosted the four-ton, $ 5-million Jade Buddha for Universal Peace, one of the few stops it made in Canada on its four-year world tour to promote peace. Recently, I visited to experience life behind those doors on an average day. 9 A.M. The TV is tuned to a European soccer match when the door opens to the monks' lounge. The Abbot Venerable Thich Tam Hoa checks messages on his cell, the others captivated by the match. Not what I had expected, to say the least.
The monks' daily duties vary with rank. Abbot Venenerable Thich Tam Hoa (most use the more familiar Master Tam Hoa) welcomes visitors, advises people on various — mostly spiritual — matters, comforts people or families who have lost loved ones, prepares lessons to lecture after Sunday mass and attends meetings with other Buddhist organizations, amongst other functions. The other monks are responsible for gardening, cleaning, cooking, attending funerals and burials with Master Tam Hoa, visiting patients in hospital and conducting monthly retreat sessions. The three monks live and work here, as is traditional within the Buddhist doctrine. 9:30 A.M. The monks ready for the 10 a.m. service, donning their ceremonial burnt orange robes. An intricate fold here, a tuck and a soft draping there. One of the volunteers, Frankie, draped in a light grey tunic, rings the Majestic or Great Bell, striking it three times with a large pendulum-like object called the Bat. Standing more than a metre tall and weighing at 800 kilograms, the bell produces a booming yet comforting sound, and signals the congregation to prepare for the first mass. Typical of many centres, the Phap Van Temple houses the Main Hall for worship, as well as additional rooms, out-buildings or distinct areas. The Second Hall — adjacent to the Main Hall — is used to display pictures of the deceased, whose families congregate at the temple to pay their respects. The Queen Yum Tower is located outside the main building, and members of the temple venerate Queen Yum The Saver by placing small Queen Yum statuettes inside it. Beside it is the Queen Yum Gardens — complete with a fountain and an outdoor shrine to Queen Yum. Also outside is the Memorial Tower where families temporarily keep their loved ones' ashes before burial. In addition, the main building basement houses an auditorium for cultural events such as the Lunar New Year celebration. Annexed to this auditorium is a kitchen and food preparation area that can supply meals for more than 100 people. This is where the monks prepare their own meals weekdays. Today, take-home meals are being prepared for the people coming to the temple to attend services. 10 A.M. The Sunday morning mass to honour the deceased is attended by more than 50 worshippers, and takes place in the Main Hall. After the congregation has settled, kneeling on their cushions, the monks enter and take their spots on the dais under the watchful eye of the large statue of Buddah. The service consists of chanting and singing, led by Master Tam Hoa. The repetitive chanting produces an almost hypnotic atmosphere. As this service ends, some of the congregation file silently into the adjoining hall for the second of two services being held today to honour their dead. They are joined by others who come in directly upon arrival at the Temple; like everyone else, their shoes left outside the door. 11 A.M. At this second service, a number of people don white ribbons, worn like a bandana around their foreheads. While some had these on at the earlier service, most do now. Custom is that these are worn over a period of 49 days to honour the deceased. Today, Master Tam Hoa and his monks lead the service for seven families and to honour an Abbot from Vietnam who has passed away. Pictures of the deceased are displayed front and centre. Beside the pictures, food (prepared by the temple) and tea are set out formally to honour the dead. Buddhists believe in reincarnation, and part of the prayer from Master Tam Hoa asks that they be reincarnated in human form and not as an animal or in an evil form of any sort. NOON Break time. The monks change back into their greys. Thanh heads outside for a break, sitting near the Memorial Tower talking with two volunteers who are cleaning out the interiors of their cars. Shortly, he retreats to the basement to join the other monks and Dao, who are in the kitchen area. A few volunteers join the table. On the menu: handmade vegetarian wraps, a hot noodle soup, vegetable dumplings, tofu dishes and a chilled custard. Other than the monks being first seated, there is neither formality nor pecking order here. 1 P.M. Back to the monks' lounge for yet another soccer match on the television. While many temple members come and go, Thanh is constant in his vigilance of the game, and is joined by two younger volunteers, cheering a good play and sighing a near miss. It nears 2 p.m., and the monks undergo another wardrobe change, getting back into the orange robes. 2 P.M. To the uninitiated, Sunday mass is a carbon copy of the morning session, but with more people in attendance — this time to pray for everyone, living and dead, and for peace around the world and in one's own life. The monks enter, everyone stands, bows and kneels a few times in succession, and the service begins. 3 P.M. When the formal part of the mass ends, Master Tam Hoa delivers his Sunday lessons, today's on living a good and purposeful life. Everyone listens attentively. Partway through, the buzz of a cellphone on vibrate can be heard, the owner quickly silencing the gadget and smiling, embarrassed, at her friend. The young women giggle quietly. Master Tam Hoa continues without pause. 4 P.M. The last service over, Master Tam Hoa returns to the lounge to prepare for the last item of the day: presiding over a service at a local funeral home. The monks wear brown robes to travel, and pack orange robes for the service. Climbing into a minivan, they head to the service, a 10-minute drive away. 4:30 P.M. Family and friends gather. Grief and sadness in the air, the staff guide everyone into the chapel where the service will take place. In another room down the hall, Master Tam Hoa, Quan and Thanh don their ceremonial robes and join other attending monks in the hall outside the chapel. 5 P.M. With Master Tam Hoa in the lead, the procession heads to the front of the chapel. Under a large flat screen TV showing photos of the deceased, he leads the service. In prayer, it is explained to the congregation that death doesn't mean the end. As Dao translates: "It is like a changing state, like getting rid of something too old, for something new and fresh." After the service, Master Tam Hoa comforts family members. A full day's work done, the monks change wardrobes again in preparation for their trip back to the temple where they'll get dinner and have time for prayer, meditation and reflection — and perhaps to catch the soccer scores on TV. Read More @ Source
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| Monk who self-immolated 'called for Dalai Lama return' Posted: 05 Feb 2012 10:00 PM PST Agence France-Presse, February 2, 2012Beijing, China -- A senior Tibetan monk who self-immolated last month urged Tibetans to unite and called for the return of the Dalai Lama in a message recorded before his death, advocacy groups said on Thursday.
In the nine-minute audio recording, Lama Sobha said his sacrifice was in solidarity with "heroes" who have died seeking to protect Tibetan culture, the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said in a statement. The people of Tibet "must unite and work together to build a strong and prosperous Tibetan nation in the future," the group quoted him as saying. "I pray that His Holiness the Dalai Lama will return to Tibet and remain as Tibet's temporal and spiritual leader."
The ICT also posted images of Lama Sobha's charred body, which it said were obtained by exiled Tibetans after the self-immolation in Qinghai province, northwest China, on its website, www.savetibet.org. Lama Sabha's recording was obtained by the US government-run Radio Free Asia, the campaign said. AFP has been unable to independently verify the authenticity of the recording. Tibetans have long chafed at China's rule over the vast Tibetan plateau, accusing Beijing of curbing religious freedoms and eroding their culture and language. Four of the self-immolations occurred last month as violent anti-China protests in the southwestern province of Sichuan -- which has big populations of Tibetans -- erupted. Police shot dead at least two Tibetans in the unrest. China has blamed "trained separatists" for the recent wave of unrest, while the state-controlled Xinhua news agency said Lama Sobha's suicide was the result of a failed love affair. Beijing insists that Tibetans enjoy religious freedom and have benefited from improved living standards brought on by China's economic expansion. The Lama, reported to be in his 40s, was known as a "living Buddha" -- the reincarnation of a line of high-ranking lamas. Read More @ Source
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| Posted: 05 Feb 2012 06:00 PM PST
Paperback, 200 pages, $ 29.95 About the author: JOHN S. HARDING is Associate Professor and Chair of the Religious Studies Department at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. His books include Introduction to the Study of Religion with Hillary P. Rodrigues (2008) and Wild Geese: Buddhism in Canada with Victor Sōgen Hori and Alexander Soucy (2010). From the publisher: This book introduces the rich realities of the Buddhist tradition and the academic approaches through which they are studied. Based on personal experiences of Buddhism on the ground, it provides a reflective context within which religious practices can be understood and appreciated. The engaging narratives cover a broad range of Buddhist countries and traditions, drawing on fieldwork to explore topics such as ordination, pilgrimage, funerals, gender roles, and film-making. All the entries provide valuable contextual discussion and are accompanied by photographs and suggestions for further reading. The narratives include:
* Articles by Canadian scholars The Sumeru review: Studying Buddhism in Practice was conceived as a complement to standard undergraduate textbooks on the study of Buddhism. Its approach is closest in style to ethnographic anthropology, insofar as it comprises observation of Buddhist ritual and personal reflection by the observers, who are self-proclaimed "outsiders." In the introduction, the editor takes pains to explain that this hybrid approach is somewhat unorthodox, chosen to elucidate both the lived experience of practitioners and also that of the scholarly observer. In other words, the book is as much about how we study Buddhism as how Buddhists practice Buddhism, within their specific cultural contexts. The largest issue this book raises for me is its reticence about the increasingly blurry boundaries between scholars, practitioners and scholar-practitioners. Indeed, the notion of scholar-practitioner does not even appear in the front-matter of the book. That is a serious problem. As Buddhist practice has matured in the west, we have seen a concomitant growth in the number of Buddhist teachers who can speak and write deeply about the practice of Buddhism, its history and its philosophical perspective across many cultural expressions. Nobody looks at Robert Thurman and says, "Oh gee, he can't be an objective scholar because he used to be a monk and is obviously a practicing Buddhist!" That is just one exaggerated example to make the point. Scholars who cling to the notion that they can somehow be objective, independent, impartial and above the fray are merely demonstrating their service to a different ideology – that of secular humanism. This book has an aura of spiritual tourism about it. The essays veer frequently into the territory of "Oh gee, I studied Buddhism and it changed me." I am not proposing that there is no place for objective, independent observation and the attempt to see events within larger systems of context. However, since Charles Prebish proposed the designation of scholar-practitioner, we have yet to see academia embrace it en masse as a valid perspective. I couldn't hep feeling, while reading Studying Buddhism in Practice, as if I were a CIA operative trying to figure out why "those people over there" do what they do so I could categorize and respond to them better, while firmly entrenched within my own ideological bunker. It was not a good feeling. As a practitioner of Buddhism, I seek to see the spiritual in everyday life. The narratives in this book seek to explain the spiritual in terms of everyday life. That's kind of like looking through a telescope from the wrong end! Be that as it may, for the right audience (young adults with no experience of Buddhist practice in their own culture), in the right context (an undergraduate university course where the material can be discussed), this is a good book. The sincerity and backgrounds of the authors are solid. Read More @ SourceMetta Sutta (Loving Kindness) Pali/English 
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| Great Eastern Sun: The Shambhala Community in Nova Scotia Posted: 05 Feb 2012 05:00 PM PST The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, will be hosting an exhibit on the Shambhala community there. The exhibit will run until April 21st. Here is the blurb from the museum's website: Discover how the international headquarters of the Shambhala Buddhist community came to be established in Nova Scotia and about the traditional Tibetan teachings that inspire the community today. Learn about the contemplative practices of meditation, calligraphy and photography. Official Public Opening on Thursday, February 23 at 5:30 p.m. All are welcome. Special programming, also free of charge, will accompany the exhibitions, including a community-led tour of Great Eastern Sun on Feb. 25, a mindfulness meditation workshop on March 3 and a film screening on March 14. The museum's winter hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information about the museum's exhibitions and programs, visit www.pier21.ca. Read More @ Source
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| Maha Bodhivastu, the Great American Stupa for World Peace (with video) Posted: 05 Feb 2012 01:00 PM PST  Photo via bodhivastu.org Plans are now under way to construct a large stupa here in the United States, similar in scale to the Borobudur Stupa in Indonesia. The stupa will be called Maha Bodhivastu, meaning "The Great Realization of Vast Buddha Activity." The Bodhivastu Foundation will need $ 3.5 million to secure the land and get the permit processing underway. [More, with video, after the jump.]
According to the project's website, "Bodhivastu will have the power to herald in a new era of ultimate wisdom, peace, and brother-and-sisterhood. Bodhivastu will be constructed on consecrated ground with a pure motivation of inclusiveness. It will be made with perfect proportions and contain sacred consecrations, universal prayers, and several major Buddhist relic troves of past saints, extending back to Kashyapa Buddha." The idea for this project came to Lama Rangbar Nyimai Ozer (Adam Friedensohn) through Druk Chokyong Tsimar, the High Oracle of Bhutan. The High Oracle spoke of the "benefits of making such a large stupa in the USA at this most important transitional moment of our planet's history." Maha Bodhivastu is more than just a monument in isolation of what is going on in our times. It is a Mandala which is both a symbol of our collectiveness and interdependence and it IS our collectiveness manifest. — Lama Rangbar Nyimai Özer To make a secure donation to the project, visit their donations page. Read More @ Source
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| Being Good For Others & The Elephant In The Corner Posted: 05 Feb 2012 12:00 PM PST  In answer to an anonymous comment from a few days ago. When ever possible I get out after breakfast and walk. I'm fortunate to be able to do that. It might just be for half an hour however it seems significant to physically separate from where I work and live. If but briefly. I'm not sure why that getting-out-of-the-house is important however doing it does seems to bring a certain liveliness to my working day. Some days I have to lever myself out of the front door. Wet, grey days especially. This morning, out walking on the light dusting of snow, I noticed boot prints with 'claws' extending out in front of the boot! A new kind of traction device for icy conditions I suspect. There were also the unmistakable signs of Yaktrax, a traction device I used in Edmonton during winter snows. But what about the car tyre tracks? Every track tells a story and clearly here was a car that lost traction and had to turn back. With some danger and difficulty. Thinking about it we were originally designed to be on all fours. Now walking on our hind legs and traveling on round wheels we can easily run into serious trouble! We humans have of course adapted physically and mentally and for the most part can stay upright and moving forward. Most of the time anyway. And if we are using good tyres in good condition the vehicle we are in will gain traction. Most of the time anyway. Shoe traction devices are wonderful by the way. But what about gaining traction metaphorically speaking. For the most part it almost always has something to do with acceptance, in the end. Although of course the exact meaning of gaining traction depends on the context in which the expression is used. The opposite or complimentary expression would be spinning ones wheels! When you spin your wheels, you are doing everything you can in terms of effort, but you are getting nowhere, like the car on the hill. When you gain traction, your effort is finally getting you somewhere. There are some interesting Preceptual matters going on behind these thoughts. Did you ever feel you were getting nowhere, inter-personally, socially, politically and spiritually even? Gaining traction, being heard/understood/appreciated etc., is what one hopes for, using reason and logic, kindness for both self and others. And anything else at ones disposal. But just sometimes you know that the wheels, metaphorically speaking, have no traction. The ground is very very slippery. You know you are getting nowhere. What to do? Like the car on the slippery hill one option is to turn around and take a different route. Or retreat until conditions change and are more favorable. Increasingly, when it is practically possible, I find that stepping aside (pulling over into a lay-by) for a longer or shorter time is very effective. But not a universally wise way to go. Just one last thought. Trying to gain traction can lead to spinning ones wheels, in a rather destructive way both emotionally and spiritually. How so? In a million ways, in every day, we are exerting influence on conditions. We are after all active agents in the flow of change. If the background intention of our interactions is towards following the Precepts, the potential harm is at best minimized. The Three Pure Precepts are 1)cease from harmful habitual action, 2) do that which is good (beyond the opposites and good/bad) and 3) do (or be) good for others. But what about the elephant in the corner? Ah the elephant! In common parlance that would be ones personal agenda, in religious terms it would be ones personal koan. The koan arrives naturally in daily life and if it is the elephant that's trying to gain traction, predominately, then better to invite the elephant into the light, acknowledge as an old friend, accept as one you love and carry on. Better informed. Kinder, wiser and more often than not - humbler. Read More @ SourceJalanandana Piritha - ජලනන්දන පිරිත - 
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Today His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa released the following statement via the Karmapa Office of Administration Press in Bodh Gaya:
<< A painting at the Gangaramaya Temple depicts the scene of Prince Siddhartha leaving behind his wife and child. Pic by Amila Prabodha.jpg)
<< Monks at Mississauga's Phap Van Buddhist temple gather for lunch between religious services.
Lama Sobha, also known as Sonam Wangyal, was the most senior of 16 Tibetan clerics and former monks to have set themselves alight in the past year in protest against China's policies in Tibetan-inhabited areas.
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