Lew Richmond and Peter Coyote to give benefit performance for people who are ill; Well-being Fund created
Lew Richmond and Peter Coyote to give benefit performance for people who are ill; Well-being Fund created |
- Lew Richmond and Peter Coyote to give benefit performance for people who are ill; Well-being Fund created
- Lew Richmond and Peter Coyote to give benefit performance for people who are ill; Well-being Fund created
- Mass Myanmar monk rally backs anti-Rohingya plan
- Buddhist priest to walk Keystone XL pipeline route
- Remembering an ‘undisputed leader of Buddhists in Sri Lanka’
- Taiwanese vegetable seller is a philanthropist
- Rite of passage: Another monk joins Buddhist temple in South Dade
- Buddhists mix the spiritual and mundane
| Posted: 04 Sep 2012 08:01 AM PDT Zen teacher Lewis Richmond writes, in a newsletter to the Sausalito, California-based Vimala Sangha community, "On Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2 pm, at the Community Congregational Church, 145 Rock Hill Dr. in Tiburon, the Vimala Sangha will be holding a fund-raising benefit concert for people close to us who are ill and in need of financial help. …Peter Coyote and I will be the performer / presenters. I will be playing some of my original piano solo compositions-including the premier of a new one-as well as a classical piece or two and some jazz and blues improvisations. Peter will be reading from the manuscript of his new¸as yet unpublished book-and may do some other things as well. "As many of you may recall, a few years back I teamed up with Alan Senauke to put on a fundraising concert to help Darlene Cohen. That effort was very successful and Darlene was able to use the proceeds to pay for a variety of treatments, some of which may have extended her life. The Nov. 10th event will be in the same spirit. We have set a fund-raising goal of $ 10,000 to help Karen now and help establish the fund for future beneficiaries. "The Vimala Sangha Board has already decided to kick off the fund with its own donation of $ 1000. Would you consider a donation of $ 100, $ 250, $ 500, or even $ 1000-not only to help Karen with her critical illness, but to endow the Fund to help future people in need? In any case, please give whatever you can." Checks can be made out to "Vimala Well-Being Fund" and mailed to Vimala Sangha, Box 856, Sausalito, CA 94966. Or you can make your donation on the day of the concert." For more information about Vimala Sangha, visit them online. Read More @ Source
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| Posted: 04 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT Zen teacher Lewis Richmond writes, in a newsletter to the Sausalito, California-based Vimala Sangha community, "On Saturday, Nov. 10 at 2 pm, at the Community Congregational Church, 145 Rock Hill Dr. in Tiburon, the Vimala Sangha will be holding a fund-raising benefit concert for people close to us who are ill and in need of financial help. …Peter Coyote and I will be the performer / presenters. I will be playing some of my original piano solo compositions-including the premier of a new one-as well as a classical piece or two and some jazz and blues improvisations. Peter will be reading from the manuscript of his new¸as yet unpublished book-and may do some other things as well. "As many of you may recall, a few years back I teamed up with Alan Senauke to put on a fundraising concert to help Darlene Cohen. That effort was very successful and Darlene was able to use the proceeds to pay for a variety of treatments, some of which may have extended her life. The Nov. 10th event will be in the same spirit. We have set a fund-raising goal of $ 10,000 to help Karen now and help establish the fund for future beneficiaries. "The Vimala Sangha Board has already decided to kick off the fund with its own donation of $ 1000. Would you consider a donation of $ 100, $ 250, $ 500, or even $ 1000-not only to help Karen with her critical illness, but to endow the Fund to help future people in need? In any case, please give whatever you can." Checks can be made out to "Vimala Well-Being Fund" and mailed to Vimala Sangha, Box 856, Sausalito, CA 94966. Or you can make your donation on the day of the concert." For more information about Vimala Sangha, visit them online. Read More @ Source
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| Mass Myanmar monk rally backs anti-Rohingya plan Posted: 03 Sep 2012 11:00 PM PDT AFP, Sep 3, 2012YANGON, Myanmar -- Hundreds of Buddhist monks marched in Myanmar Sunday to support President Thein Sein's suggestion that Muslim Rohingya be deported or held in camps, in the biggest rally since the end of junta rule.
Lines of clerics wearing their traditional deep red robes passed through the streets of Mandalay flanked by crowds of supporters in scenes not witnessed since a monk-led protest in 2007, which was brutally crushed by the country's then military leaders. "Protect Mother Myanmar by supporting the President," read one banner, while others criticised United Nations human rights envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana, who has faced accusations that he is biased in favour of the Rohingya, following deadly unrest between Buddhists and Muslims in western Rakhine state.
He told AFP the protest was to "let the world know that Rohingya are not among Myanmar's ethnic groups at all". The monk, who goes by one name, said the aim was also to condemn "terrorism of Rohingya Bengalis who cruelly killed ethnic Rakhines". Speaking a dialect similar to one in neighbouring Bangladesh, the estimated 800,000 Rohingya in Myanmar are seen by the government and many Burmese as illegal immigrants and the violence has stoked a wave of anger across the Buddhist-majority country. Fighting in Rakhine state has left almost 90 people from both sides dead since June, according to an official estimate, although rights groups fear the real toll is much higher. New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused Myanmar forces of opening fire on Rohingya Muslims during the violence, prompting concern across the Islamic world over the treatment of the stateless group, described by the UN as one of the world's most persecuted people. Myanmar has denied a crackdown on Muslims and launched an inquiry into the violence, while Thein Sein has accused Buddhist monks, politicians and other ethnic Rakhine figures of kindling hatred towards the Rohingya in a report sent to parliament last month. But in comments to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, published on his official website in July, he suggested it was "impossible to accept the illegally entered Rohingya, who are not our ethnicity" and mooted sending the group to a third country or UN administered camps. Wirathu said Thein Sein, a former general who has launched a series of reforms after taking power last year, had "stood firmly" in his comments to the UN. Although he added that the Rohingya could become citizens, "if they stay peacefully". Rallies are expected to continue for two more days, including one in Pakokku town in the Magway region, which was the birthplace of the 2007 mass pro-democracy protests that became known as the Saffron Revolution because of the colour of the monks' robes. Read More @ Source
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| Buddhist priest to walk Keystone XL pipeline route Posted: 03 Sep 2012 10:00 PM PDT By Rachael Ruybalid, WORLD-HERALD NEWS SERVICE, Sept 2, 2012YORK, Neb. (USA) -- A Buddhist priest has been traveling in Nebraska this summer as she prepares to walk part of the route of the Keystone XL pipeline as a protest.
Last summer, Shodo Spring went to Washington, D.C., to protest TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone XL pipeline. She sat in front of the White House and was arrested while wearing her Buddhist robes. After the protest, she returned home to complete her six months of monastic training. As part of the training, she sat in a monastery, staring at the wall and meditating.
"An image cropped up of me walking on the pipeline," Spring said. "It persisted, and it grew details. Sometimes I saw hundreds of people, and sometimes I was alone." She talked to people about what she had seen, and they encouraged her to do the walk. "Because I've had the vision, not to do it would be wrong," she said. At first, Spring thought she would walk the entire length of the pipeline from Hardisty, Alberta, to Port Arthur, Texas. After realizing how far that was, she decided to instead walk the distance from Alberta to Steele City, Neb. She has been traveling around the route in Nebraska this summer, talking to landowners about her walk and the reasons they're opposed to the pipeline. She knows that by the time she does the walk next summer, legal decisions on whether the pipeline will be built will already have been made. She can still bring awareness to what she thinks are the dangers, she said. "The purpose is to change consciousness or to activate people who are environmentalists who are saying, 'We can't do anything about this,'" Spring said. Spring said it probably won't be possible to walk the exact route. She and others who walk with her will most likely be taking county roads as close to the route as possible. Read More @ Source
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| Remembering an ‘undisputed leader of Buddhists in Sri Lanka’ Posted: 03 Sep 2012 09:00 PM PDT By D.C. Ranatunga, The Sunday Times, Sept 2, 2012
Statue to honour the Most Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera on his 9th death anniversary Colombo, Sri Lanka -- A statue of the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera will be unveiled in the heart of Matara by the people of his hometown, to mark the ninth anniversary of his passing away, on September 9, 2003.
The night before the Mahanayaka Thera passed away, listening to the monks from the Maharagama Dharmayatanaya chanting pirith in the Colombo National Hospital room where he spent his final days, he remained calm and composed. The monks visited him every evening for many weeks to bless him, chanting pirith. The hospital staff gave him the best possible care, making him as comfortable as possible. The passing away of the Mahanayaka Thera was mourned not only by the Buddhists but even those of other religions. Among the most poignant tributes paid to him was the one by Colombo's former Archbishop Rt. Rev. Oswald Gomis who was a close friend of the Mahanayaka Thera. He recollected how their friendship was cemented during a trip to Germany in 1983. He appreciated the Mahanayaka Thera's efforts to bring the nation together, particularly the goodwill and unity he promoted among the religions. "I respect him as an extremely honest person. We may have had different views and ideas but humanity is common to all of us. He led an exemplary life as a monk," Dr. Gomis said.
In this act of silent mourning people not only pay respect to a Buddhist monk they valued so much: they also make a clear statement of allegiance to the cause the Venerable Mahanayaka Thera stood for and lament what seems to be an irreparable loss to this cause," he added. Summing up the Mahanayaka Thera's mission, Ven. Dhammavihari said that it has been "a national tragedy, caused often by ill-informed political theorists of mushroom-like origin that the Mahanayaka Thera has been branded at times a racist. The greater tragedy in his own life has been that he had stepped in to play the role of the indispensable Defender of the Faith for Buddhist when the current rules of Sri Lanka failed time and again to possess the necessary vim and vigour for that task. It is indeed a stupid usage of the neo-social scientists of the scandalous word 'chauvinism' in association with him. We forgive them, for they know not what they do, not even what they say". "Let those of us who are yet living and those who are to be born in this country after us, remember what he strove for – for the restoration and consolidation of the more than 23-century-old culture of this land which is unassailably high by all international standards. Let the living awaken to life from their slumber and keeping this in their forefront, march forward for victory in their unmistaken battle, if there is anything worth saving in this land," he said. It is creditable that the Mahanayaka Thera's pupils at the Dharmayatanaya have meticulously collected all what he wrote on religious, cultural and national issues. These have been published in several volumes and are available for ready reference for any research student. The two-volume biography – 'Penasiha Pehersaraniya' gives a detailed description of the Mahanayaka Thera's life. The tributes paid to him including editorial comments by the Sinhala newspapers are also documented in 'Madihe Mahimi Guna Saraniya'. The museum at the Dharmayatanaya is yet another fitting tribute to this illustrious monk whose virtues, wisdom and vision should be admired and followed. To repeat Ven. Dhammavihari's words in the tribute: 
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| Taiwanese vegetable seller is a philanthropist Posted: 03 Sep 2012 08:00 PM PDT By Jocelyn R. Uy, Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network, Sep 3, 2012Taipei, Taiwan -- Every day for the past four decades, 60-year-old Chen Shu-Jiu wakes up at 2:30 a.m. to set up her stall at the busy central market in Taitung, a county in eastern Taiwan. With her fresh merchandise-about a hundred varieties of vegetables-towering over her, she works until dark.
After a backbreaking day at the market, Chen returns to her modest home and listens to Buddhist teachings on the radio before getting some shuteye. By living a Spartan lifestyle, Chen has been able through the years to give away some NT$ 7 million (S$ 399,154) out of her modest earnings to various charities engaged in early childhood care and children's education. Chen's tremendous generosity has been celebrated internationally. She has been acclaimed as an inspiration and a role model, travelled to many places, walked the red carpet and met VIPs, like Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. 'Just a vegetable seller'
Chen and the five other laureates for 2012 received their awards in ceremonies at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. But the unassuming Chen remains indifferent to the accolades she has received for her philanthropy since she was first featured in a local paper two years ago, maintaining that she's just an ordinary vegetable seller. As much as possible, she doesn't want to be away too long from her market stall, which she took over after her father died some 20 years ago. "I don't feel like I'm a hero or a great person whatsoever because I don't feel like I've done much. I just feel like I'm still that vegetable vendor at the market," Chen said, speaking through a translator. Pure altruism But to others, especially those who have been touched by her unselfishness, she has done great things worthy of emulation and praise. In electing Chen to receive this year's prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation said it "recognises the pure altruism of her giving, which reflects a deep, consistent, quiet compassion, and has transformed the lives of the numerous Taiwanese she has unselfishly helped." Over the past two decades, she has donated almost all her personal earnings to a Buddhist monastery, Fo Guang Shan, to enable it to finance a school, and to an orphanage, Kids Alive International, a Christian mission devoted to the rescue of orphans and vulnerable children, to provide them with food and education and see to their spiritual and emotional needs. Through her donations to her alma mater, Ren-Ai Elementary School, she has also helped finance the establishment of a fully equipped library. Read More @ Source
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| Rite of passage: Another monk joins Buddhist temple in South Dade Posted: 03 Sep 2012 07:00 PM PDT By Lidia Dinkova, Special to The Miami Herald, Aug 31, 2012
As a new monk, Sittisak Chariyasuwan must follow 200 rules at Wat Buddharangsi of Miami, a Buddhist temple in South Dade. Miami, FL (USA) -- A two-story-tall, five-ton bronze Buddha statue towers over an ornate display of dozens and dozens of vases, hand-made flowers and flickering blue lights.
On the morning of Aug. 25 at Wat Buddharangsi of Miami , a Buddhist temple in South Miami-Dade, six monks ordained 44-year-old Sittisak Chariyasuwan as a new member of their order. Chariyasuwan said he chose to become a monk so he can study the Buddha's teachings, or the dharma scripture. "If you really want to know Buddhism, to really get into the core of it, you have to get into monkhood," he said through a translator. Buddhists follow the teachings of Indian Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who in 500 B.C. became known as the Buddha, or enlightened one. His teachings focus on the proper way to lead life so that nirvana, a state of release into ultimate enlightenment and peace, can be achieved.
The two-hour ordination ceremony is the culmination of many weeks, in some cases even years, of studying Buddhism. Chariyasuwan said he spent two weeks in seclusion to learn the Pali prayers he chanted during the ceremony. Pali is the language of the Buddha's teachings. At the Saturday-morning ceremony, he and the other monks chanted these Pali prayers that droned through the temple. A gong's sound reverberated and Chariyasuwan's friends and family gave him gifts of things he may need during monkhood such as several sets of saffron-colored robes. The monks asked Chariyasuwan questions quizzing his morality and eligibility to become a monk. Like all other Buddhist monks, he has to abide by more than 200 precepts, or rules that guide the way he should lead his life in monkhood. Vichate Ungvichian, a member of the temple's Board of Directors, said a new monk has to put away superficial distractions and focus on studying the dharma. So before the ceremony, Chariyasuwan's hair and eyebrows were shaved. "You don't have to worry about combing your hair. You can focus on studying," said Ungvichian. Even everyday tasks have to be done in a certain way. Monks have to walk slowly, speak in a low tone, sit at an elevated level compared to laymen, dine only twice a day, both times before noon, and even shower in a particular way. All monks live in dormitories at the temple. Their day begins at about 5:30 a.m. with chants. After that it is common for monks to visit families or establishments, like restaurants, to give blessings. While some remain monks for a few days or months and then go back to being laymen, others dedicate themselves to monkhood for the rest of their lives. Phrasiridhammavidhesth Boonnom, the temple's abbot, became a monk when he was 20 years old in his home village Nong Boua in Thailand. "Before I became a monk, I didn't know anything about Buddhism," said 74-year-old Boonnom. But the more he stayed, the more he learned and understood the Buddha's teachings, he said. Boonnom is also founder of Wat Buddharangsi. Since its inception in the late 1990s, the South Florida temple has been a home to Asian-Americans as well as to people from other cultures and religions who are interested to learn about Buddhism. Two years ago, Frank Delgado became a novice monk for five days. He always had an interest in religions, so one day he came to the temple and a monk started teaching him about Buddhism. "I learn, and I learn, and I learn," said 35-year-old Delgado, who is from Cuba. "When you like something it is easy for you to learn." In Thai tradition, a novice is a monk who is younger than the age of 20 and instead of following more than 200 precepts, a novice has to follow only 10. Nowadays people who want to learn more about Buddhism, but cannot commit as much as a monk, can become novices. "You learn to have more self-discipline," said Delgado of his time as a novice. And Chariyasuwan said for now he plans to be a monk for the next three months. But, he added, in the end of that time he may decide to stay for longer. "You have to have a strong faith to be a monk," he said. "It was the right time for me to commit and to give the good deed and the positive energy." On the web: http://watmiami.org Read More @ Source
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| Buddhists mix the spiritual and mundane Posted: 03 Sep 2012 06:00 PM PDT By Jerry Earl Johnston, Deseret News, Sept. 2 2012San Diego, CA (USA) -- Finding the Metta Forest Buddhist Monastery near San Diego is not as difficult as finding enlightenment, but it's still no easy task.
I suspect one reason the place is so difficult to pinpoint is the eight monks there aren't interested in getting pinpointed. It's an earthy place with sleeping "slabs" scattered around beneath the trees. There is a large golden statue of the Buddha in the main compound, along with other religious symbols. But the spiritual aspects and icons are mixed and matched together with the ho-hum necessities of daily living — a great bale of toilet tissue here, a broom, eating utensils and dish soap there.
A recent Buddhist best seller is called "After Enlightenment, the Laundry." And Buddhist poets often spin the divine together with the daily grind. Historically, Buddhist monks have performed simple manual acts of labor to create a space inside themselves for spiritual awakening. The carefully groomed pebble gardens in Kyoto, Japan, are just one example. So it was at the Metta Forest Monastery. I could not tell who was a religious disciple there and who was simply a gardener or avocado picker. (By the way, it seemed appropriate the monastery was in an avocado orchard. The avocado is an ancient Aztec symbol for "love." They grow in pairs, like two people in love drawing nourishment from the tree of life.) Buddhists, at their best, have a sweetness and compassion about them that is unrivaled. I suspect monks at Metta Forest and other monasteries take their cue from the Buddhist aphorism, "Walk as if your feet were kissing the earth." I didn't stay as long as I wanted to stay at the monastery. Like the fellow in the Robert Frost poem, the groves were "lovely, dark and deep" but "I had promises to keep." I did take with me some of the tranquility that comes from slowing down and spending a little time "off the grid," however. And I took a renewed respect for Meditation and its ways.Albert Einstein claimed that Meditation seemed — to him — to be the one religion compatible with science. I don't know if that's true. I do know it's a religion that's wonderfully compatible with avocados, and with the messy lives we lead. And for a short spell in the hills outside of San Diego, it was a religion compatible with me. On the web: http://www.watmetta.org/ Read More @ Source
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<< Ramon Magsaysay awardee Chen Shu-Jiu of Taiwan..jpg)
The statue's black eyes look down at seven chanting monks, all clad in saffron-colored robes.
Cradled in the hilly avocado orchards near Valley Center, Calif., the monastery blends in easily with the colors and landscape of the area. If you weren't looking for it, you'd miss it.| You are subscribed to email updates from BuddhaRocks ☸ Buddhist To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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