Dalai Lama to teach via live webcasts June 7–9

Dalai Lama to teach via live webcasts June 7–9
Treeleaf Zendo conducts “Shukke Tokudo” via the internet
Surviving cancer and living well: Elana Rosenbaum
Buddha Day 2012
Fields Of Views

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 09:00 AM PDT

Photo by Tenzin Choejor (OHHDL)

His Holiness the Dalai Lama, at the request of Indian Buddhist practitioners in Dharamsala, will deliver a series of Introductory Buddhist Teachings via live webcast this June 7 to 9. The webcasts, to be delivered in Tibetan, will be available with English, Russian and Hindi translations. Click through to see the schedule, taken from His Holiness' website.

All times Indian Standard Time (GMT+5.30)

June 7: 9:30am – 11:30am & 1:00pm – 3:00pm IST
June 8: 9:30am – 11:30am & 1:00pm – 3:00pm IST
June 9: 9:30am – 11:30am

Click here for the English webcast, here for Tibetan and Hindi, and here for Russian. For reference, 9:30am IST on June 7th in Dharamsala is the same as 9:00pm PDT, June 6th in Los Angeles, California, and 5:00am BST on June 7th in London, England.

Read More @ Source

Treeleaf Zendo conducts “Shukke Tokudo” via the internet

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT

In late May, the primarily online-based Treeleaf Sangha conducted a Shukke Tokudo Homeleaving Ceremony via the internet, with Preceptor Rev. Jundo Cohen ordaining novice priests in Austin, Texas and Rochester, New York. The newly ordained novice priests are Taido Shinkai and Shudo Dosho. Treeleaf also conducted the same ceremony in 2010, ordaining individuals in Japan, Sweden, Germany and Canada.

Online ordinations have been the subject of debate in recent years. The Soto Zen Buddhist Association (SZBA) has recently decided to not recognize ordinations that are not conducted face-to-face, stating that face-to-face encounters are "the basis for evaluating a student's readiness for ordination and eventually membership in the SZBA." By "face-to-face," the SZBA board means "in the same physical room."

In a piece he wrote over at the Treeleaf forum, titled "Ordination Tribulation," Rev. Jundo believes this decision was in large part a reaction to Treeleaf's ordinations, despite the findings and recommendations of an SZBA committee that looked at the use of electronic media in ordinations. The committee found that "individual teachers [should] be given the freedom to pursue the use of EM (Electronic Media) for enhanced teaching as they see fit including jukai and ordination ceremonies." The committee further stated in their report that a significant minority (25%) "do endorse EM use for jukai or priest ordination as being in line with Soto practices," concluding that "Dharma successors of SZBA members who received jukai or tokudo using EM would be welcome to join SZBA with the same encouragement and evaluation as other candidates who received tokudo or jukai by traditional methods."

As society continues to embrace new forms of technology, and as more and more people spend more of their time in front of a computer, the debate over the use of electronic media is not likely to go away anytime soon. As for Treeleaf and Rev. Jundo, the findings will not change how they choose to conduct such ordinations, stating, "The approval and sanction of the SZBA is not sought or required for our priests, who will each stand on their own merit as priests and prospective Teachers of the Way."

Watch the video of the recent Shukke Tokudo ordinations (approx. 16 minutes.)

Read More @ Source

Khyentse Foundation

Khyentse Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in 2001 to establish a system of patronage that supports institutions and individuals (from all over the world) engaged in the study and practice of Buddha's vision of wisdom and compassion. This video presents Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche explaning Khyentse Foundation aims. www.khyentsefoundation.org

Video Rating: 4 / 5

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Surviving cancer and living well: Elana Rosenbaum

Posted: 04 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT

On Sunday, communities around the world celebrated National Cancer Survivors Day, a symbolic event celebrating the meaningful, productive lives that people can live after a cancer diagnosis.

One such survivor is Elana Rosenbaum, a psychotherapist and teacher of mindfulness-based stress reduction, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1995. Rosenbaum used her experiences as a teacher and a cancer patient to write Here for Now: Living Well with Cancer through Mindfulness, and to lead workshops on using mindfulness to cope with the physical and emotional stresses of cancer.

The Shambhala Sun's Barry Boyce interviewed Rosenbaum for a Mindful Society column, in which Rosenbaum shared her personal story and some of the mindfulness teachings she uses. As Rosenbaum told Boyce:

"When I was diagnosed with cancer, it was a great shock, because the thought was that if you meditated and ate right, you wouldn't get sick, and in my crowd I was the first one to get a serious illness. We used to often say, 'This too shall pass' around the stress-reduction clinic, but we weren't usually talking about human life itself. I made up my mind then to live what I had been teaching. I already was to a certain extent, but the diagnosis really tested my ability to follow through on that."

Read the rest of Rosenbaum's story here. And in this Shambhala Sun audio piece, Boyce shares the backstory that led him to interview her.

Read More @ Source

Tsoknyi Rinpoche speaks about Mingyur Rinpoche's Retreat

www.tergar.org ~ During a retreat at the Garrison Institute in July 2011, Sogyal Rinpoche and Tsoknyi Rinpoche both spoke in moving terms about Mingyur Rinpoche's current retreat and how rare it is for someone to do this style of retreat in the modern world, even amongst Tibetan lamas.

Video Rating: 5 / 5

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Buddha Day 2012

Posted: 03 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT

The 4th June this year is Visakha Puja or 'Buddha Day,' when Thai Buddhists commemorate the birth, enlightenment and passing away of the historical Buddha. It is the most special day in the Buddhist calendar, and is usually marked with big celebrations all over the kingdom. This year has been declared the 2,600th anniversary of the Buddha's birth, and the festival will be especially exuberant across Thailand. Thais are renowned party animals, and are also keen on 'making merit' by visiting temples and giving lots of stuff to monks, so combine this with the 26 century tag and it's gonna be a 'mega-puja' this year!

Visakha Puja is not marked on the same day in different countries, however, so in Taiwan it occurred on 28th April, Sri Lanka 5th May, India 6th May, Korea 28th May. For once, Thailand is late for the party! In Sri Lanka, part of the celebrations involve the use of bright lights, illuminating Buddha statues and temples across the island. In an interesting article on the Buddhist Channel website, Daya Dissanayake of the Sri Lankan newspaper The Nation questions this practice. He writes that it is a damaging burden on the environment to use so much electricity on Buddha Day. He argues that Buddhists would do well to illuminate the inner self rather than the outer surroundings. The original article can be read here: Should we 'celebrate' Vesak?

Now, Daya Dissanayake may have a good point or two here. Should Buddhists damage the environment in ecologically damaging behavior when marking the life of the Buddha? Surely, visiting a temple during the day and reducing the use of electricity is a good idea, if possible? And, his suggestion that Buddhists meditate rather than celebrate is another fine idea, isn't it? Not appreciating crowds, and the crowds will be enormous today, this Buddhist is not going to frequent a temple or city park on Buddha Day. Rather, a simple ceremony at home affront a Buddha image with the family will suffice. And a spot of mediating, of course.

Now, it's not being suggested here that people shouldn't go the temple today, and everyone has the right to mark Buddha Day how they like, as long as it's at least halfway legal! But, Daya Dissanayake's ideas are certainly worth considering. So, if you're celebrating Buddha Day today, I hope you have a good time, and that you do so with mindfulness. As a follow-up to this reflection, it would be interesting to read of how you celebrate Visakha Puja this year, whether in Thailand or elsewhere, so please leave a comment below…and may you be happy!

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammasambuddha

Read More @ Source

Golden Horse Monastry - thailand

October 2006 One Abbot has found a new way of bringing young dispossessed boys onto the path of enlightenment. Using a strict regime of exercise, he teaches a particularly tough form of Buddhism. "At home I didn't have enough to eat. I didn't go to school", says Sam Muen. After his father was convicted of drug possession he faced an uncertain future. Rescued by Abbot Kru Ba Nuea Chai, he is now on the road collecting alms with fellow trainee monks. "I don't know what the future will be like. But for now I want to live this way". Thailand Asia Monbastry Golden Horse Childrn Monks buddist

Video Rating: 4 / 5

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Fields Of Views

Posted: 03 Jun 2012 03:00 PM PDT

Perception, visual perception, is interesting. Our eyes zoom in and out effortlessly. Now near, now far away. Now mid distance. The whole of the scene is taken in while particulars take their place.

Walking around the fields these past couple of days, dim and cloudy as it has been, these scenes called to me drawing out a field of view where one can become large of mind. Ah! The hills, the flower, the fields.

Recently an elderly friend signed off her email with, Happy Jubilations! When I allow myself to mentally expand my field of view I can echo her sentiment.

Read More @ Source

Tibetan Book of The Dead - The Great Liberation - NFB

The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Liberation This has the feel of those Mystic Fire videos, which may bother some of you. It is a companion piece to the Tibetan Book of the Dead, a Way of Life, which I liked better. The short film centers around the too early death of a 40 something young man, returned to his family from a long journey and stricken with an unknown illness. I think this might be an interesting introduction to the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Nice visuals of Ladakh. Was not impressed by the special effects, but the little boy/monk and the mentor monk have a good interaction. Leonard Cohen's voice good, as usual. I may have been generous at seven stars, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Buddhist films. (imdb) Skyline productions

Video Rating: 4 / 5

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Search This Website

Buddha | Buddhist | Buddhism