It seems that as pop-star and actress Miley Cyrus grows up, she's getting more serious about the messages she sends to her fans. As a new SFGate article tells us, Cyrus has "found" meditation, and wants to encourage her (mostly young, female) fans "to meditate more and take time to discover what they really want out of life." .
Cyrus's online meditation game "shows Miley relaxing and re-centering herself and meditating before she performs one of her hottest concerts."
In fact, Cyrus has even licensed her name and image to be used in "Magical Awakening," an online game in which fans can give the star a hand by knocking backstage distractions out so that Miley can focus on her meditation. (Like a lot of online games, this one is a little frantic and simple: the player just roams the screen, clicking on the phone, the TV, the fax machine, and so on to turn them off. Animated Miley, for her part, just keeps on smiling and sitting.) The game can be found here.
What's cool about all this is that it's so unlike anything Miley's pop-star contemporaries are doing. In fact, "cool" is besides the point to Cyrus, who says "I'm so sick of people trying to be too cool. Cool is so dumb." As SFGate's report states, Cyrus "found meditation and realized her best friend is herself – and she urges other confused teenagers to follow her example and get in touch with the real you."
84000 has a 100-year goal to "translate all 70,000 pages of the Tibetan Kangyur (the words of the Buddha) and another 161,800 pages of the Tengyur (commentaries by Indian masters) into the world's major modern languages, starting with English, and to make them freely available." Last week, the organization celebrated reaching 10 percent of its goal, and Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen oversaw readings from the new translations.
Shambhala SunSpace interviewed one of 84000's American ambassadors, Sarah Wilkinson, in 2010, when the organization was known as the Buddhist Literary Heritage Project. You can read that interview here.
www.pemachodrontapes.com. The five slogans of Machig Labdron teach us how to work with fear, aversion, and suffering in the context of the great motivation to benefit others. From A88: Going to the Places That Scare You, 5 talks given in Berkeley, CA, 2001, from Pema Chodron's archivists, Great Path Tapes and Books. Video Rating: 4 / 5
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Gao has been working on his pear-growing technique for six years and this season he managed to grow 10,000 Buddha-shaped baby pears. Each fruit is grown in an intricate Buddha mold and ends up looking like a juicy figurine. The ingenious farmer says the locals in his home village of Hexia, norther China, have been buying his Buddha pears as soon as he picks them from the trees. Most of them think they are cute and that they bring good luck. Chinese Farmer Grows Buddha-Shaped Pears
It did take a bit of time for the truth of this interesting endeavour to sink in. Buddha shaped pears. Amazing!
Thank goodness we who aspire to sit still (meditate) don't grow in molds. Although that's a common mistake in the early days. Well intentioned newbies quite often attempt to fit into an imagined ideal posture for meditation. And once there attempt to internally mould themselves into meditation mind.
Birmingham, UK -- Every year the Congregation of Vietnamese European Unified Buddhist Association holds a ten days Buddhist teaching and retreat event in a different European country. The aim is to teach and encourage the practice of Buddhist philosophy to international Buddhist fellowships of all age ranges and sexes.
More than a hundred Buddhist monks and nuns from all over the world will be present to deliver Dharma talks to about one thousand participants.
This year the UK gets to hold the 24th Anniversary of Vietnamese European Congregation Unified Buddhist Association retreat of the first time.
The Venerable Thich Phuoc Hue, who is a President of Midland Buddhist Association is responsible for hosting the event. The 10 days of European Buddhist retreat will be held on 27th July 2012 to 5th August 2012.
Important dignitaries from Birmingham who will be attending the event includes The Lord of Mayor, Chair of Governor's Miss D McllMurray, Business Manager's Ms S Birmingham, Head Teacher's Ms Roan and Site Manager's Mr John Edward.
If you go:
What: Congregational Of Vietnamese European Unified Buddhist Association Retreat 1st Time in UK
Over the last 20 years, neuroscience research has fundamentally changed our understanding of decision making. Lehrer, a critically acclaimed science writer and the popular blogger behind "The Frontal Cortex," explains what the latest in cutting-edge research can tell us about how our minds work. How do we make decisions? And how can we make decisions...better? fora.tv Video Rating: 4 / 5
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By Samten Yeshi and Gyalsten K Dorji, Kuensel Online, May 21, 2012
Timphu, Bhutan -- Gender inequality took over to blend with spirituality in the second session of the Mountain Echoes festival, which began yesterday at the Tarayana Centre in Thimphu.
<< Writing the spirit: Swati Chopra, Kunzang Choden and Dr Tashi Zangmo
Three women speakers constantly argued and discussed that women have equal spirit to attain the level of spirituality as men, while they referred to religious traditions that underestimated the spirits of women.
The conversation revolved around Buddhist traditions where, at one point, Swati Chopra, who writes on spirituality and its relevance to modern lives, explained the Madhyamika ideology and the middle path teaching, associated with change and impermanence.
According to her, the irrational system that became a tradition blocks change, where women are deprived from certain spiritual teachings, even in Buddhist.
"Change has to be enlightened change, not just jettisoning tradition in entirety, but certain aspects of tradition should be questioned, which unfortunately in India there is less tolerance of questioning tradition," she said.
The oral tradition of Buddhist, which says that to achieve nirvana one has to be born as man is 'irrational', Swati Chopra said. "If there is no gender in enlightenment or nirvana, according to Madhyamika teaching, why do we have to be born as man to achieve enlightenment?" she questioned. "In enlightenment, you can't be even Buddhist."
Well-known Bhutanese author, Kunzang Choden, said that, while there are beliefs being implanted that a woman would take nine generations to achieve nirvana, there are no such written references so far noticeable.
"Three years ago, a woman asked Jamyang Khyentse rinpoche, if a reference can be found that says so, and rinpoche said he couldn't find it anywhere," Kunzang Choden said.
She said the protagonist in her book, The Circle of Karma, is also looking for her spirit, and believes she will find this through literacy. She receives basic teaching from a spiritual master, shaves her head, and wears the robes, but realises that appearance is not everything, and that spirit and appearance don't go together.
"You can't just trash tradition, we have to segregate it," Kunzang Choden said, referring to patriarchal society. "With education, empowerment, opportunities, you begin to question things."
When a male from among the audience asked how men are responding to empowerment of women efforts, Swati Chopra said, "They dig in their heels, and use tradition as a reason, but women also don't support women, as a result of internalising tradition; but right now there is nothing to worry about, the wave is still being built."
"Nunneries follow the same curriculum as the monk body, but smaller nunneries don't have any set curriculum, but very ritualistic kind of practices, no qualified teachers, no proper classrooms," explained Dr Tashi Zangmo, director of Bhutan nuns foundation.
"Households prefer male monks for pujas, while they invite nuns only when there are prayers that include fasting," she said.
The Life of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche This film is an authentic portrait of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, one of Tibet's great contemporary teachers, considered to be a "Master of Masters" among the four schools of Tibetan Buddhist. Renowned as a great meditator, guru, poet, scholar and as one of the main teachers of the Dalai Lama, the Nyingma Lama Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche died in 1991. Ten years in the making, this film began in 1989 when translator Matthieu Riacrd and Vivian Kurz began taping extensive footage of their teacher. Shot in rarely filmed Kham, Eastern Tibet, as well as Nepal, Bhutan, India and France, the film shows the rich and intricate tapestry Of Tibetan Buddhist and is a witness to the strength, wisdom and depth of Tibetan culture. Narration by Richard Gere with music by Philip Glass. May all beings be happy Video Rating: 4 / 5
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DHARAMSHALA, India -- After years of debate and careful deliberation, Tibetan Buddhist nuns are finally set to receive Geshema degrees (equivalent of a PHD in Buddhist Philosophy).
The historical decision was arrived at a high-level meeting organised by the Department of Religion and Culture of the Central Tibetan Administration last week in Dharamshala.
"The decision to officially honour Geshema degrees was unanimously taken at the two-day meeting," Ngawang Choedak, the secretary of Department of Religion and Culture said.
"High lamas from different monasteries, including from the Dalai Lama's main temple, and representatives from nunneries attended the meeting," Choedak said while adding that the push came from the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
"His Holiness the Dalai Lama has over the years strongly advocated for Geshema degrees and guided the concerned people in arriving at this decision," the secretary said.
Kalon Tripa Dr Lobsang Sangay and minister for the Department of Religion and Culture, Pema Chinnjor also addressed the two-day meeting.
In September last, the 11th meeting of Tibetan religious heads, presided by the Dalai Lama had also discussed on the required steps for the honouring of Geshema degree.
Nuns have been graduating from the rigorous 19-year program of philosophical studies as required for the normal Geshe curriculum study of the Five Great Canonical Texts. Now with the decision, nuns, at par with monks, have the opportunity to appear for the very stringent doctorate examinations.
In 2011, Ven. Kelsang Wangmo became the first Buddhist nun to be awarded a Rime Geshe Degree by the Dharamshala based Institute for Buddhist Dialectic Studies with the authorisation from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The degree is titled Rime Geshe [Non-Sectarian Geshe] as the curriculum includes study with Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu masters of their respective presentations of philosophy.
Boulder, Colorado's Naropa University, the contemplative university that was founded as Naropa Institute by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, has announced Charles G. "Chuck" Lief as its new president.
Along with the above video, in which Lief discusses staying true to Naropa's roots, the University has issued the following press release, which serves as a bio for Lief and gives an overview of the process behind his appointment.
Naropa University's press release follows:
Naropa University (NU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles G. Lief, lawyer, social entrepreneur, nonprofit executive, and current board chair of Naropa University, as president of Naropa University, starting in August 2012.
Charles G. Lief has been an active part of the Naropa community for 39 years, having participated in some of the earliest discussions that culminated in the creation of the Naropa Institute in 1974. An early North American student of Naropa's founder, the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, he was an original member of the Nalanda Foundation board of directors (Naropa's nonprofit home for its first decade). He has been a member of the board of trustees since its formation in 1986. Lief was elected as chair of the board of Trustees in May, 2011.
Lief's distinguished career as a nonprofit CEO, low and mixed income housing developer, and attorney, as well as his extensive background in businesses contributing to social and community health, and his nearly 40 years of experience working with Naropa University and its distinctive commitment to contemplative education, were all deciding factors in the Naropa board's decision to elect him as university president.
"Chuck's enduring relationship with Naropa is inherently connected to Naropa's founder and the school's foundation, as well as Naropa's future," says Martin Janowitz, acting Naropa board chair. "During his time as Chair, he maintained a clear focus and steady hand, and during his many years of board service including more than a decade chairing the board's finance committee, he played a leading role in moving the university in the direction of flourishing academic, strategic, and financial strength. Naropa University will benefit greatly from his broad experience in nonprofit and business management, law, social entrepreneurship, teaching, and fundraising. Chuck will bring all this experience to his already longstanding commitment to Naropa's community and mission." The university's presidential search process began after Dr. Stuart C. Lord, M.Div., announced in September 2011 that he would step down, at which point the university called upon John Whitehouse Cobb (Naropa President, 1993-2003) to serve as president through July 16, 2012.
The university created a presidential search committee, led by trustee Jim Rosen and comprised of trustee, faculty, student, and staff representatives who worked closely with the search consultancy Isaacson, Miller, a firm closely familiar with both higher education and mission-driven organizations. The search yielded close to 300 people who went through the exploration and application process. As a result of this activity, the search committee met weekly over a two-month period, and selected eight semi-finalists for interviews off-campus. After considerable deliberation, four finalists were brought to the Naropa campus in late April to meet with faculty, staff, students, alumni and the Naropa Board of Trustees. Feedback from all these stakeholders was taken into consideration when the Board of Trustees ultimately made this important leadership decision.
Lief will be focused on continuing the university's standing as a leader in contemplative higher education. "The fact that Naropa remains a vital part of the universe of higher education is due to the powerful and potent energy behind its founding and the way in which that is actualized by the dedication, sacrifices and effectiveness of our faculty. My experience with faculty, students, and staff both prior to and during the search continues to confirm how transformative a container Naropa is. I'm honored and energized to serve as president during an important period in Naropa's maturation, building on our legacy and bringing it with vigor into the future."
Lief also brings a deep connection with Naropa's mission and founder. "My relationship with Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, the Naropa founder, has been the touchstone of my personal and professional life," shares Lief. "I met the founder and became a Buddhist practitioner as a 19 year old college student in 1970. I was incredibly fortunate to have a close relationship with Trungpa, Rinpoche, for the 17 years until his death in 1987. I learned much from that relationship and Naropa University is clearly one of the most powerful and transformative aspects of his legacy," he continues.
After receiving his Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado School of Law, Lief served as a managing partner of a Colorado law firm, Roper, Lief, Mains and Cobb, from 1977–83. Naropa was a client of the firm.
He was the first president of the Yonkers, New York–based Greyston Foundation, one of the earliest and most well-known models of integrated nonprofit social enterprises and service providers in the country. Under his leadership Greyston Foundation grew from a startup with a handful of employees to an organization with 180 employees and a $ 20 million annual budget. Greyston's mix of services includes permanent housing for formerly homeless families, accredited childcare, HIV/AIDS housing and health care and the well-known Greyston Bakery, which provides employment to low income residents of Yonkers and among many other products, supplies millions of pounds of brownies to Ben and Jerry's.
A principal in the Hartland Group, Community Developers and Consultants of Burlington, Vermont, he has been instrumental in the creation of mixed income housing and economic developments in Vermont and New Hampshire. He has also served as the strategic planning consultant to Amida Care, a nonprofit Special Needs HMO serving 5,000 low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS in New York City.
"Chuck has always brought to bear not only his passion and commitment, but also his skills and talents as an administrator who gets the job done in a way that shows he cares about the people around him," says Charles King M.Div, JD (Yale), Executive Director, Housing Works, New York City "I have always been impressed with Chuck's thoughtfulness about not just his clients, but also employees, nurturing them and ensuring that each one has a career plan that will offer fulfillment. In my view this has always been something that brings out the best that people have to offer."
In addition to his serving on the Naropa Board in many capacities, Lief has served as the board chair of a number of organizations including the Intervale Center in Burlington, Vermont, which develops farm, and land-based enterprises that generate economic and social opportunity while protecting natural resources. He serves as the vice-chair of the board of the Vermont Community Loan Fund, is a founding director and chair of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Flexible Capital initiative, and is on the board of the award-winning Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont and Vermont Works for Women. He was a board member and past chair of Shambhala International, the worldwide association of Buddhist communities founded by Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. Chuck received his bachelor's degree from Brandeis University in sociology.
He and his wife, Judy, a distinguished former Dean and chief executive of the Naropa Institute, have two daughters and two grandchildren.
Naropa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Naropa University is a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education. This approach to learning integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, helping students know themselves more deeply and engage constructively with others. The university comprises a four-year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology and religious studies.
Boulder, Colorado's Naropa University, the contemplative university that was founded as Naropa Institute by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, has announced Charles G. "Chuck" Lief as its new president.
Along with the above video, in which Lief discusses staying true to Naropa's roots, the University has issued the following press release, which serves as a bio for Lief and gives an overview of the process behind his appointment.
Naropa University's press release:
Naropa University (NU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles G. Lief, lawyer, social entrepreneur, nonprofit executive, and current board chair of Naropa University, as president of Naropa University, starting in August 2012.
Charles G. Lief has been an active part of the Naropa community for 39 years, having participated in some of the earliest discussions that culminated in the creation of the Naropa Institute in 1974. An early North American student of Naropa's founder, the Venerable Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, he was an original member of the Nalanda Foundation board of directors (Naropa's nonprofit home for its first decade). He has been a member of the board of trustees since its formation in 1986. Lief was elected as chair of the board of Trustees in May, 2011.
Lief's distinguished career as a nonprofit CEO, low and mixed income housing developer, and attorney, as well as his extensive background in businesses contributing to social and community health, and his nearly 40 years of experience working with Naropa University and its distinctive commitment to contemplative education, were all deciding factors in the Naropa board's decision to elect him as university president.
"Chuck's enduring relationship with Naropa is inherently connected to Naropa's founder and the school's foundation, as well as Naropa's future," says Martin Janowitz, acting Naropa board chair. "During his time as Chair, he maintained a clear focus and steady hand, and during his many years of board service including more than a decade chairing the board's finance committee, he played a leading role in moving the university in the direction of flourishing academic, strategic, and financial strength. Naropa University will benefit greatly from his broad experience in nonprofit and business management, law, social entrepreneurship, teaching, and fundraising. Chuck will bring all this experience to his already longstanding commitment to Naropa's community and mission." The university's presidential search process began after Dr. Stuart C. Lord, M.Div., announced in September 2011 that he would step down, at which point the university called upon John Whitehouse Cobb (Naropa President, 1993-2003) to serve as president through July 16, 2012.
The university created a presidential search committee, led by trustee Jim Rosen and comprised of trustee, faculty, student, and staff representatives who worked closely with the search consultancy Isaacson, Miller, a firm closely familiar with both higher education and mission-driven organizations. The search yielded close to 300 people who went through the exploration and application process. As a result of this activity, the search committee met weekly over a two-month period, and selected eight semi-finalists for interviews off-campus. After considerable deliberation, four finalists were brought to the Naropa campus in late April to meet with faculty, staff, students, alumni and the Naropa Board of Trustees. Feedback from all these stakeholders was taken into consideration when the Board of Trustees ultimately made this important leadership decision.
Lief will be focused on continuing the university's standing as a leader in contemplative higher education. "The fact that Naropa remains a vital part of the universe of higher education is due to the powerful and potent energy behind its founding and the way in which that is actualized by the dedication, sacrifices and effectiveness of our faculty. My experience with faculty, students, and staff both prior to and during the search continues to confirm how transformative a container Naropa is. I'm honored and energized to serve as president during an important period in Naropa's maturation, building on our legacy and bringing it with vigor into the future."
Lief also brings a deep connection with Naropa's mission and founder. "My relationship with Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, the Naropa founder, has been the touchstone of my personal and professional life," shares Lief. "I met the founder and became a Buddhist practitioner as a 19 year old college student in 1970. I was incredibly fortunate to have a close relationship with Trungpa, Rinpoche, for the 17 years until his death in 1987. I learned much from that relationship and Naropa University is clearly one of the most powerful and transformative aspects of his legacy," he continues.
After receiving his Juris Doctor from the University of Colorado School of Law, Lief served as a managing partner of a Colorado law firm, Roper, Lief, Mains and Cobb, from 1977–83. Naropa was a client of the firm.
He was the first president of the Yonkers, New York–based Greyston Foundation, one of the earliest and most well-known models of integrated nonprofit social enterprises and service providers in the country. Under his leadership Greyston Foundation grew from a startup with a handful of employees to an organization with 180 employees and a $ 20 million annual budget. Greyston's mix of services includes permanent housing for formerly homeless families, accredited childcare, HIV/AIDS housing and health care and the well-known Greyston Bakery, which provides employment to low income residents of Yonkers and among many other products, supplies millions of pounds of brownies to Ben and Jerry's.
A principal in the Hartland Group, Community Developers and Consultants of Burlington, Vermont, he has been instrumental in the creation of mixed income housing and economic developments in Vermont and New Hampshire. He has also served as the strategic planning consultant to Amida Care, a nonprofit Special Needs HMO serving 5,000 low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS in New York City.
"Chuck has always brought to bear not only his passion and commitment, but also his skills and talents as an administrator who gets the job done in a way that shows he cares about the people around him," says Charles King M.Div, JD (Yale), Executive Director, Housing Works, New York City "I have always been impressed with Chuck's thoughtfulness about not just his clients, but also employees, nurturing them and ensuring that each one has a career plan that will offer fulfillment. In my view this has always been something that brings out the best that people have to offer."
In addition to his serving on the Naropa Board in many capacities, Lief has served as the board chair of a number of organizations including the Intervale Center in Burlington, Vermont, which develops farm, and land-based enterprises that generate economic and social opportunity while protecting natural resources. He serves as the vice-chair of the board of the Vermont Community Loan Fund, is a founding director and chair of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Flexible Capital initiative, and is on the board of the award-winning Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont and Vermont Works for Women. He was a board member and past chair of Shambhala International, the worldwide association of Buddhist communities founded by Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche. Chuck received his bachelor's degree from Brandeis University in sociology.
He and his wife, Judy, a distinguished former Dean and chief executive of the Naropa Institute, have two daughters and two grandchildren.
Naropa University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Naropa University is a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education. This approach to learning integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, helping students know themselves more deeply and engage constructively with others. The university comprises a four-year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology and religious studies.
Probably the easiest "dialog" on Diamond Sutra. Not intended to be scholarly discussion about the subject. Dialogue by 현각 스님(Paul Muenzen) with Korean subtitle. Buddhism. The rest of the series are available at: video.google.com Video Rating: 4 / 5
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by Chong Go Sunim, The Buddhist Channel, May 22, 2012
Seoul, South Korea -- Hanmaum Seon Center announces the passing of their teacher, Venerable Daehaeng, on Monday, May 21, 2012. She was 85 years old. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 26th, with more details to follow as they become available.
<< Daehaeng Kun Sunim 1927 - 2012
Ordained as a Buddhist nun 63 years ago, Daehaeng Kun Sunim* was a rare teacher in Korea. She was a female seon(zen) master, a nun who also taught monks, and a teacher who helped revitalize Korean Buddhism by dramatically increasing the participation of young people and men.
She made laypeople a particular focus of her efforts, and broke out of traditional models of spiritual practice to teach in such a way that anyone could practice and awaken. At the same time, she was a major force for the advancement of Bhikkunis (nuns), heavily supporting traditional nuns' colleges, as well as the modern Bhikkuni council of Korea.
Born in Seoul, Korea, in 1927, she awakened when she was around 7 years old, and spent the years afterwards learning to put her understanding into practice. She would wander the mountains of Korea, wearing a ragged set of clothes and eating only what was at hand. Years later, she said that she wasn't pursuing some type of asceticism; rather she was just completely absorbed in returning everything to her fundamental Buddha essence, and seeing how that affected what she entrusted.
This greatly affected her teaching style later, for she could clearly see the great potential, energy, and wisdom inherent within each of us, but saw that people suffered because they don't know about this, and instead were looking outside of themselves. Clearly seeing the great light we each have, she taught people to rely upon this inherent foundation, and refused to teach anything that distracted people from that.
Her deep compassion made her a legend in Korea long before she formally started teaching people. She was known for having the spiritual power to help people in all circumstances with every kind of problem. She compared compassion to freeing a fish from a drying puddle, putting a homeless family into a home, or providing the school fees that would allow a student to finish high school. And when she did things like this, and much more, few knew that she was behind it.
She supported many social welfare projects, founded centers in 11 countries around the world (15 centers in Korea, and 10 in other countries), and her teachings have been translated from Korean into English, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, French, and Vietnamese.
--------- *Kun Sunim is the Korean Buddhist title of respect for a senior nun or monk.
New York Times readers may have noticed a glowing four-star review of Eric Ripert's Manhattan seafood restaurant Le Bernardin today. While the review gave detailed descriptions of the restaurant and its sumptuous offerings, one thing it didn't mention is that Ripert is a Buddhist and outspoken advocate for Tibet.
The Times has given Le Bernardin four stars every time it's reviewed the restaurant since its 1986 opening. It's also one of a handful of restaurants in New York to receive a prestigious three-star Michelin ranking.
Taiyuan, China -- A multi-million-yuan project that helps to shore up the country's oldest cliff-carved Buddha statue is to kick off before the end of June in north China's Shanxi Province.
<< Visitors look at the Mengshan Buddha statue in Taiyuan, North China's Shanxi province in this March 26, 2011 file photo. [Photo:Xinhua]
With a 74 million yuan (11.7 million U.S. dollars) investment approved by the Ministry of Land Resources, the work will focus on consolidating mines around the Mengshan Buddha, which was once in danger of collapsing, according to Taiyuan City's land resources bureau.
Qiao Qinghai, a geological environment official with the city's land resources bureau, said the project will increase greenery and eliminate the hidden geological hazards in the Mengshan scenic area, which will also improve living conditions for local residents and help the development of tourism.
The 1,461-year-old Buddha statue was carved on a cliff face on Mengshan Mountain in the year 551, during China's Northern and Southern Dynasties. It is believed to be 162 years older than the world's largest sitting stone sculpture of the Buddha in Leshan, Sichuan Province.
The Mengshan Buddha, 63 meters tall, was discovered in the 1980s with parts of it lost or buried in silt and rubbles. Continuous mining in the area led to geological disasters including landslides, ground collapses and fissures, leaving the giant statue in danger of collapse. It was opened to tourists in 2008 after repair.
A total of 211 million yuan has been invested to improve the area's geology since 2008.
The Mengshan Buddha statue is more than 20 km southwest to Taiyuan, the provincial capital.
Ken Wilber talks about Ayahuasca - Part 1 of 2. From Integral Life Practice Q&A--August, 2005 All credits to Ken Wilber, Integral Naked, Integral Institute. This video is for educational purposes only, and use of copyrighted material falls under the "Fair Use" provision, which allows reasonable use of copyrighted work, without permission, for research, criticism, or education. Video Rating: 4 / 5
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BUSSY-SAINT-GEORGES, France -- The final touches are being put on what will be Europe's largest Buddhist temple, complete with a 16-foot, 8-ton Buddha statue, officials says.
The $ 20 million temple and cultural center at Bussy-Saint-Georges, France, near Paris, is to officially open June 22, Radio France Internationale reported Monday.
Along with space for 1,000 worshipers, the complex will have about 40 bedrooms for people on spiritual retreats, prayer rooms, space for meditation sessions, calligraphy workshops and other activities, and a vegetarian restaurant.
Designed by the Frederic Rolland architectural firm, the structure doesn't have the traditional pagoda-style most often-associated with Buddhist temples. Set on a large parcel filled with fruit trees, it is built mostly of glass, wood and unrefined concrete accented by roof gardens. In the main area is the massive Buddha made of white jade from a mountain in Myanmar.
"The statue was hewn directly into a mountain in Burma and then transported to the port of Marseilles, which at the time was on strike," architect Polly Rolland told RFI. "We had to organize a special convoy, and arrange cranes to position the Buddha inside the temple, before finishing the roof, because the statue wouldn't fit through the doors."
Rolland said the project was notable for harmony during its construction.
"Usually there are always arguments on a site, but this time, everything was managed in a spirit of total zen," the architect said.
The Greyston Foundation — the Yonkers, NY-based "entrepreneurial and spiritually grounded not-for-profit organization" that began with Bernie Glassman and the Zen Peacemakers' Greyston Bakery — raised over $ 300,000 at this year's Greyston Annual Benefit. All of the funds raised will support the organization's community development efforts, which are aimed at "achieving personal and community transformation."
Among other things, the Greyston Foundation provides jobs, affordable housing, medical and holistic care for HIV patients, child care, life skills and environmental education for children and teenagers, and employment and training for the homeless and previously incarcerated.
The event, held at X2O Xaviars on the Hudson in Yonkers, honored Carl E. Petrillo, president and CEO of Yonkers Contracting, for "his dedication to Greyston Foundation." Bernie Glassman presented Christopher Davis with the first-ever Bernie Glassman Award, which was given in recognition of "achievement in Davis' personal growth and movement along his path toward self-sufficiency." You can read more about the benefit here.
Please note: Not intended for large view. Add &fmt=18 to the URL for stereo simile. ( Like this: www.youtube.com ) Afro Celt Sound System www.afrocelts.org Disclaimer: This video only involves images related to Buddhism for sake of the beauty that belief creates. More Afro Celts music (Audio only): voidhamlet.wrzuta.pl Video Rating: 4 / 5
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With palms together Good Morning Everyone, Zen vital requires a in advance reorientation to life. When such a spin happens what was once important no longer seems so; what was once unimportant is right away significant. It is this ostensible turning of life upside down which disturbs some of us, as good as so many of those around us. Conversely, it is what makes life so smashing for those who open their eyes. Yet, it is usually a ostensible turning of things. In truth, it is just a change in where you place a mind. Two short, universal lists: What is significant? A glass of water. A splinter of a moon in a sky. Loving someone; being desired by someone. The taste of things. The feel of things. The smell of things. The sound of things. What is insignificant? Our thoughts about a above. Hurrying to get somewhere. Getting somewhere. Our social status; anothers social status. The sort of car you drive. How far-reaching a TV screen is. That you have a TV in a initial place. We competence cru
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<< Writing the spirit: Swati Chopra, Kunzang Choden and Dr Tashi Zangmo
Boulder, Colorado's Naropa University, the contemplative university that was founded as Naropa Institute by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, has announced Charles G. "Chuck" Lief as its new president.
<< Daehaeng Kun Sunim 1927 - 2012
<< Visitors look at the Mengshan Buddha statue in Taiyuan, North China's Shanxi province in this March 26, 2011 file photo. [Photo:Xinhua]
The $ 20 million temple and cultural center at Bussy-Saint-Georges, France, near Paris, is to officially open June 22, Radio France Internationale reported Monday.
