The Tibet Fund to honor Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari at annual gala
The Tibet Fund to honor Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari at annual gala |
- The Tibet Fund to honor Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari at annual gala
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama Visits a Nunnery, Retreat and Monastery Before Speaking at Woodstock School
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama Attends the Tibetan Homes Foundation Golden Jubilee and Speaks at Wynberg Allen School
- Chögyam Trungpa on the natural beauty of meditation
- Japanese Buddhists celebrate 100 years in Utah
- International Buddhist conclave on Sept 29-30
- Buddhist teacher shares insight on compassion
- A Monk Sentenced in Eastern Tibet, Another Presumed Dead
- Recovering Tibetan Buddhist Monk Faces Uncertain future
- Berkeley Buddhist organizations hold open house Downtown
- Shaolin Temple’s identity quandary
| The Tibet Fund to honor Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari at annual gala Posted: 18 Sep 2012 06:00 AM PDT The Tibet Fund will honor Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari — Tibetan humanitarian activist and former Special Envoy for His Holiness the Dalai Lama — at its upcoming annual gala. The event will be hosted by chef and television host Eric Ripert on October 2 at Le Cirque restaurant in New York City. Quoted in a press release about the event, the Tibet Fund's Benefit Committee co-chair, Richard Gere, said, "Lodi Gyari is one of my oldest and dearest friends. It gives me the greatest pleasure on behalf of the Tibet Fund to honor his immeasurable contributions to the cause of Tibet and the continued survival of its priceless culture through his unique personal and diplomatic skills. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Special Envoy he has been a trusted, respected and wise face of Tibet's nonviolent struggle in capitals all around the world. We are honored to celebrate his lifetime of dedicated and meaningful service." Tickets cost $ 1,000 per person for an individual seat. Full and half-size table sponsorships are also available for $ 10,000, $ 15,000 and $ 25,000, respectively. All proceeds from the dinner and auction will support the Tibet Fund. Purchase tickets by calling 212.213.5011 x 10 or by emailing development@tibetfund.org. Read More @ Source
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| Posted: 18 Sep 2012 04:00 AM PDT Dehra Dun, India, 16 September 2012 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama spent the night at Sakya Rinchen Ling Nunnery and this morning the nuns demonstrated their debate skills before him in the temple, based on their studies of Sakya Pandita's Treasury of Reasoning. From there he went to Lhodak Gaden Donnye Ling Monastery close by. The original monastery in Tibet was founded by the 5th Dalai Lama and its monks were mostly focussed on a style of practice that followed the sutras rather than the tantras, with some prayers to the Medicine Buddha. At some point in the 1940s or 50s an influential lama from Ganden Jangtse introduced the practice of Dolgyal, after which the monks faced no end of trouble and discord. Although the majority of the monks were very uncomfortable about this development, those in positions of authority favoured the practice. Once news of His Holiness advice to cease propitiating Dolgyal reached them, the monks of the monastery unanimously decided to give it up. His Holiness listened to these stories with interest and asked one of the older monks to write them all down, clearly, without exaggeration.
Returning to Rajpur, His Holiness visited the Tibetan Handicraft Centre that was originally set up to help Tibetan women improve their lot. It is one of the oldest co-operatives in the Tibetan refugee community. His Holiness remarked,
"This year 8-9000 Tibetans came from Tibet to attend the Kalachakra empowerment in Bodhgaya. When they went back, they were harassed and interrogated. Asked if they'd faced difficulties in India, they said 'No, we were well taken care of.' Asked if the Tibetans in India weren't very poor, they said, 'No, they're doing quite well.' Asked whether they'd encountered the splittist movements, they said, the Dalai Lama advocates friendship and helping others." Next, His Holiness was given a traditional Tibetan welcome at the Sakya Monastery, where he was also invited for lunch. Addressing those assembled in the temple, he remarked,
He spoke of Buddhist as the one religion that accords with science, observing that scientists interested in knowing more about the mind and emotions find Tibetan Buddhist to be a rich source of understanding. Turning to Luding Khen Rinpoche, he noted that Rinpoche used to be thinner and that his mustache has become white, but praised his contribution, recalling Bakula Rinpoche's reports of how useful his stay in Ladakh had been. Similarly he expressed his appreciation of the work Sakya Dagtri has done to preserve the Dharma.
"Dear brothers and sisters - this is how I prefer to address people because we often forget that we are human brothers and sisters. Sometimes we pay more attention to the differences between us that are essentially secondary, matters of race, faith, nationality and rank. These are the sort of factors that give rise to conflict and war, which provoke us to divide people into "them" and "us". In an international school like this, just as in the global economy, we need to overlook the barriers represented by national boundaries. This is clear too in terms of the environmental problems we face, because they affect us all."
Students had prepared questions. To one about dealing with the secondary differences that he referred to at the beginning, he replied, "We need to remember that we are all human beings. We have to think about the whole of humanity, not just my group. We can achieve this through education, one of whose roles is to reduce the gap between appearance and reality. The appearance is that there is a difference between "them" and "us", while the reality is that humanity is one. Others are part of "us." It is also necessary to look at problems from a more holistic perspective." Asked his views on ecology, His Holiness explained,
Finally, to an enquiry about how he maintains his composure and his smiling face, His Holiness replied, "That's my secret that I don't want to share! But more seriously I get 8-9 hours sound sleep every night and I am basically very peaceful, I don't harbour negative emotions. Training the mind is the source of inner peace." As the Principal and his wife presented gifts to His Holiness, the hall was filled with loud applause. From Woodstock, he drove through Musssoorie to Happy Valley at the other end of the ridge, where he was welcomed at the Tibetan Homes Foundation that tomorrow will celebrate its golden jubilee.  Read More @ Source 
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| Posted: 18 Sep 2012 03:00 AM PDT Mussoorie, India, 17 September 2012 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama was the Chief Guest at the Tibetan Homes Foundation (THF) Golden Jubilee celebrations in Happy Valley, Mussoorie today. Heavy rain from early in the morning had left the ground wet, which did nothing to prevent the stirring display as teams of students from the various houses of the Tibetan Homes Foundation, Happy Valley, local satellite schools like Rajpur and Rishikesh and others from the Central School for Tibetans (CST) in Happy Valley marched past to the beat of drums. Once all had filed onto the ground, spectators stood to join them in singing first the Indian and then the Tibetan National Anthems. The General Secretary (THF) welcomed His Holiness and read his report, followed by that of the Principal (CST). Students then performed songs and dances typical of the three provinces of Tibet. His Holiness released the Golden Jubilee souvenir book, telling the audience that the photograph of himself with Pandit Nehru on the cover was taken nearby, outside Birla House, where he was staying in April 1959. Mr Helmut Kutin, former President of SOS Kinderdorf, long time supporters of the Tibetan Homes Foundation, OP Unyal, Chairman of the Mussoorie City Board and Ganesh Joshi, local MLA, all spoke before His Holiness was invited to address the students, staff and friends of the school. He began, "Today, when we are celebrating the 50th anniversary, everything has gone very well and I'd like to thank all of you have contributed to this occasion. The Homes Foundation has asked us all not to lose hope, but to keep our homeland in mind, which is very good advice.
"These days, it seems a lot of people seem to think Buddhist is only about prayer, when it is actually about study and maturing the mind. In order to practise you have to take account of reality, both of the external world and especially the inner world. And today, while we learn from science, scientists are learning about the mind from us.
His Holiness said that since he has devolved his political responsibilities to an elected leadership he doesn't have much to say about the political situation in Tibet. However, as he remarked at Woodstock School yesterday, if we look at the situation in Tibet on its own it looks grim, but if we take a broader perspective there's still room for hope. "The trouble in Tibet is that uninvited guests arrived armed with guns and other weapons and set themselves up there. Despite Tibet having its own system of administration and economic management, they dismissed everything we did as backward, to the extent that they would almost try to teach us how to eat tsampa. They do not take a broad view, seeking really only to control Tibet. On the other hand, when they understand the situation, many Chinese intellectuals support our position, while the increasing numbers of Chinese Buddhists are taking a sympathetic interest in Tibetan Buddhist. In Tibet spirits are high and we in exile are free. Tashi delek."
His Holiness was welcomed to Wynberg Allen School by the Principal who introduced him to the audience of students and staff, thanking him for taking time to come despite the school having been late to invite him. His Holiness responded, "Time is always moving on and no force can stop it. My own generation, people over 60 or 70 belong to the twentieth century, which is now over and gone. People like these who are less than 20 years old truly belong to the twenty-first century. They will shape the future.
His Holiness mentioned several factors that are a cause for worry: the huge and growing gap between rich and poor, the continuing prevalence of corruption and violence on a domestic as well as national and international level. He said, "Something's wrong." He went on to suggest that we are not trouble-makers when we are born, and that we are naturally gentle. It seems that those who receive love and affection when they are young tend to grow up to be calm and attentive to the needs of others, His Holiness thought they probably study better and enjoy better health too . However, those who have little concern for others tend to be fraught with suspicion, mistrust and ultimately loneliness. This is contrary to human nature because we are social animals. "In order to lead a meaningful life, you need to cherish others, pay attention to human values and try to cultivate inner peace."
Another student asked how to achieve peace of mind. His Holiness advised, "I am a Buddhist who is critical of the present state of Buddhist practice, which is often too involved with ceremony and ritual. The proper practice is to use our human intelligence to transform our emotions. I am a human being, I also experience destructive emotions, but the only difference is that I use my intelligence to discriminate which of my emotions is helpful and which is harmful. I then try to restrain the harmful and increase those that are helpful and this gives me peace of mind.
"Inner peace is inner peace! To have peace of mind is to be not only physically relaxed, but completely relaxed on a mental level too; not dull, but fully alert. When something negative occurs, if you focus on that alone, it seems to be entirely negative, but if you are sufficiently at ease to be able to look at it from a broader perspective, you may be able to see some positive side to it and this brings inner strength, reduces fear and anxiety. When you have inner peace, your mind remains unruffled whatever happens. The important thing is to deal with the trouble makers within our own minds." Tomorrow His Holiness will give a brief explanation of the verse for taking refuge and generating the awakening mind of Bodhichitta to the Tibetan Homes Foundation students before returning to Dharamsala. Read More @ Source 
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| Chögyam Trungpa on the natural beauty of meditation Posted: 17 Sep 2012 06:00 PM PDT
The September Shambhala Sun features Chögyam Trungpa teaching about mahamudra, and look for "Jolly Good," about the Shambhala teachings, in the November magazine. You'll also find many more teachings from him on the Chögyam Trungpa Spotlight Page.
Read More @ Source 
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| Japanese Buddhists celebrate 100 years in Utah Posted: 17 Sep 2012 05:00 PM PDT by Brittany Green-Miner, Fox13now.com, September 16, 2012SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (USA) -- Japanese Buddhist filled the Jodo Shinshu temples of Utah on Saturday to celebrate 100 years of Buddhism in the state.
They gathered at the Salt Palace Convention Center in downtown Salt Lake City to celebrate the centennial with the "Walking the Path of Enlightenment" event. Japanese Buddhists say that while their religion stays the same, their diversity continues to grow. "I think originally that most of them were Japanese Buddhists and now the diversity of Buddhists here…is a very welcomed diversity of people," said Karie Minaga-Miya, Buddhist Centennial Celebration chair. Some local Buddhists say they hope for a unique American form of Buddhism to evolve over the next century. Read More @ Source
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| International Buddhist conclave on Sept 29-30 Posted: 17 Sep 2012 04:00 PM PDT TNN, Sep 17, 2012LUCKNOW, India -- The two day international Buddhist conclave will be held in Varanasi on September 29-30. The two-day conclave is likely to be attended by many foreign delegates and ministers from other state governments. Saying that the conclave was being organised to promote tourism in the Buddhist Circuit, Usmani also instructed officials to ensure encroachment-free roads, clear of garbage and traffic congestion. He also advised officials to invite officials from the ministry of tourism to ensure that preparations for the event were carried out smoothly. The chief secretary added that at least 267 rooms should be booked in advance, to accommodate all the travelling dignitaries from within the country and outside. 
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| Buddhist teacher shares insight on compassion Posted: 17 Sep 2012 03:00 PM PDT Battle Creek Enquirer, Sep 17, 2012Battle Creek, Michigan (USA) -- Sometimes love comes easily, springing from the bonds of family and friendship. Loving kindness toward all sentient beings, however, requires a little more work.
Bardor is a "tulku" - a title given to a reincarnated lama - and a "rinpoche," a title of respect and achievement. When Bardor Rinpoche was a young boy, his family had to flee occupied Tibet and he was the only one to survive. His trek ended with the 16th Karmapa, who instantly recognized him as the third incarnation of a Tibetan sage. Rinpoche studied in a monastery in the Indian state of Sikkim. In the 1970s, he was sent to the United States to teach Buddhism, where he established the Kunzang Palchen Ling center in Red Hook, N.Y. Matt Willis of Battle Creek first crossed paths with Bardor Rinpoche back in 1990. Willis was studying the tenets of Buddhism from books, but he said the lama's authenticity spoke to him beyond what any text could offer.
Now, Willis is part of the Palchen Study Group, six to 10 people who meet in Battle Creek to study Tibetan Buddhism and meditation. Bardor Rinpoche is their spiritual director, and his visit to Battle Creek is part of a weekend of workshops. Bardor Rinpoche took time on Thursday to speak to the Enquirer about genuine motivations, spirituality and happiness. He was assisted by a translator, Peter O'Hearn, also known as Lama Yeshe Gyamtso. Is there an example of a time in your life when you wanted to react negatively, but you were able to be compassionate and found that had the better result? "Unless you are some kind of buddha, or bodhisattva, you're not going to be free of anger. But what we can all try to do is not be reactive and not automatically respond with anger to anger, or hatred to hatred, or a verbal abuse to verbal abuse - but to consider the other person's needs as well as our own, and respond motivated by concern not only for ourselves, but for them. So that we act appropriately, but out of kindness, not out of hatred." So, it's about the action? "It's actually equally about the motivation and the action." Did religion help Rinpoche get through losing his family, losing his home? "Dharma — or spirituality, religion — was of great help at that time. It helped me not only face the difficulties that I underwent, but also face them in a healthy and responsible way." What do you think "happiness" is? "From a mundane, worldly point of view, we usually define happiness as things going well. Like, having a long life, free of illness, free of mishap, being sufficiently affluent, having everything we need and getting along with the people around us. And of course, these things are very conducive to happiness. But, from a spiritual point of view, we define happiness as being more concerned with others than we are with ourselves. That the more concerned you are with the well-being of others, somehow, the more happy you will be. And the more you are concerned only with yourself, the more suffering you will have. So, when someone is actively involved in helping others, they're usually pretty happy." How is teaching Buddhism in the West different than it would be if you were still in the East? "There is a great difference in that people born in those Asian countries which have a long history of Buddhism, are from early life are in a fairly Buddhist environment. So, it's sort of part of their fundamental upbringing. And often part of their education, all the way through higher education. So therefore, it's familiar to them, it's not foreign, and they take to it quite naturally. In this country, people interested in Buddhism are coming from a place where it's not that well known, it's not that mainstream. So therefore, they need to step into it very, very gradually. They need to start by learning the most basic things, and then practicing very straightforward, simple form of meditation. And it has to be taken very, very step-by-step." What was your training like? Did you find it a struggle at all? "It certainly required effort. Both the learning of the ritual details and practices, and also the great amount of memorization that is required in the Tibetan religious educational system. That takes work. I mean, you have to put the work in. But, I didn't find any of it impossible or beyond my reach." Read More @ Source
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| A Monk Sentenced in Eastern Tibet, Another Presumed Dead Posted: 17 Sep 2012 02:00 PM PDT The Tibet Post International , 17 September 2012Dharamshala, India -- Shonu, a monk as well as a staff member of Drakgo Monastery, Drakgo county, eastern Tibet whose whereabouts remained unknown since his arrest in February 2012, is in Mianyang Prison (Sichuan Province), according to Dharamshala based Tibetan Human Rights group.
According to Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (TCRD), Shonu, 42, was sentenced in June 2012 to 18 months in prison for charges unknown at the moment. In February 2012, security officers detained Shonu and four other staff members of Drakgo Monastery at an Internet café in Tridu (Chinese: Chengdu) city, capital of Sichuan Province. The whereabouts of the four monk officials: Tulku Lobsang Tenzin, a reincarnated lama; Geshe Tsewang Namgyal , a teacher and a staff; Thinlay, manager; and Tashi Topgyal aka Dralha, accountant, remain unknown to this day.
The case of another 'missing' monk, Tsering Gyaltsen of Drakgo Monastery, has taken a curious turn. In May 2012, less than four months after his arrest and subsequent 'disappearance', Tsering Gyatsen's family and relatives held necessary rites and rituals to observe his 'death' after sustained efforts to know about his whereabouts failed, the same source told TCHRD. Although he is presumed dead by his family members, they have yet to receive his 'body'. On 9 February 2012, Tsering Gyaltsen, 40, was severely beaten and detained by Public Security Bureau personnel. He was born in Norpa village in Drakgo County. At a young age, he became a monk at Drakgo Monastery. An unspecified number of Tibetans had been detained or 'disappeared' soon after the 23 and 24 January 2012 protests in Drakgo, Sertha (Chinese: Seda) and Ngaba County. The protests themselves were violently suppressed by security forces who fired upon unarmed Tibetan protesters in Drakgo, injuring over 36 and killing six known Tibetans. On 22 March 2012, Xinhua, the Chinese government-owned news agency reported the sentencing of seven Tibetans to 10 to 13 years imprisonment for their participation in the protest in Drakgo. On 26 April 2012, the Intermediate People's Court in Kardze (Chinese:Ganzi) Prefecture sentenced 16 Tibetans, including both monks and laymen, for their alleged involvement in the 23 January 2012 protest in Drakgo. Read More @ Source
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| Recovering Tibetan Buddhist Monk Faces Uncertain future Posted: 17 Sep 2012 01:00 PM PDT Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy , 17 September 2012Dharamshala, India -- Less than a year after his self-immolation protest, Tibetan monk Dawa Tsering is now making good recovery from his burn injuries, but his future remains uncertain, a source with contacts in Tibet told TCHRD Monday, September 17, 2012.
"But his future remains unknown and uncertain because he might not be allowed to return back to his monastery. Instead, he could be jailed at any time," the source adds. Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy (CHRD) has received two recent pictures of Dawa Tsering and his father at their home as he recovers from injuries he sustained during his self-immolation protest. The pictures show a gaunt Dawa Tsering with his chin and throat shriveled up and the area around his throat showing dark patches.
Dawa Tsering was a monk at Kardze Monastery for seven years before his self-immolation protest. He now wants to return to the same monastery to continue his studies. His family, including his father, is taking care of him at their home in Kardze. But the family is facing financial problems as they struggle to meet Dawa's medical expenses. There is no information as to whether the Chinese authorities have offered any help in terms of free subsidized medical treatment. "I heard that his Dawa's family is having financial problems, as they have to bear the medical expenses for Dawa at home," the same source said. Read More @ Source
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| Berkeley Buddhist organizations hold open house Downtown Posted: 17 Sep 2012 12:00 PM PDT By Libby Rainey, The Daily Californina, September 16, 2012
Berkeley, CA (USA) -- Dharma College opened its doors for the first time this weekend, marking the completion of a set of four Buddhist-inspired sister organizations in Downtown Berkeley.
The Buddhist-inspired educational center - located on 2222 Harold Way - held an open house event on Saturday to publicize its fall classes to prospective adult students. The organization is offering three courses that will begin Oct. 3 and run for six weeks, where students will study the mental state in an interactive learning environment. "The process of teaching and studying is going to be our own experiment," said Dharma College co-director Robin Caton.
"It's all about bringing people Downtown - whether it's (for) arts, culture, shopping, commerce - and then staying Downtown," said John Caner, CEO of the Downtown Berkeley Association, who attended the organization's ribbon-cutting event on Friday. "The idea is that you come down to have class at Dharma and then you have lunch or dinner, or go to a show." The Mangalam Research Center for Buddhist Languages was the first to inhabit the block in 2008, followed by Tibetan Aid Project and Dharma Publishing Bookstore. Though these sister organizations were not founded together, they have a similar mission and hope to collaborate with Dharma College in the future, Caton said. As part of the Downtown Area Plan, the opening of Dharma College is one in a series of business renovations and openings in recent years. The plan seeks to revitalize the area economically to increase traffic and sustainability. Being both a teaching center and a business, Dharma College has joined the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce, which will help the center as it progresses. "We're thrilled that (Dharma College is) part of the Chamber of Commerce because that indicates that they are both a place to be peaceful and learn, but they're a business," said Berkeley Chamber of Commerce CEO Polly Armstrong. Dorothee Mitrani-Bell, owner of the recently opened Cafe Clem across the street from the Buddhist center, said she chose the location partially for the surrounding area. "I like the neighborhood - I feel like it's a great community," Mitrani-Bell said. "I've been in the community working with my other business for 15 years, so this is sort of a really nice extension of it." Read More @ Source
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| Shaolin Temple’s identity quandary Posted: 17 Sep 2012 11:00 AM PDT By Xu Ming, Global Times, Sept 17, 2012Berlin, Germany -- If the word "Shaolin Temple" comes up and you picture monks ringing bell and chanting scriptures in a reclusive temple removed from the secular world, your image needs an update. Shaolin temples, home of Shaolin Kungfu, are spreading Shaolin culture abroad by relating to modern society.
The first of this kind in Europe, Shaolin Kungfu institutions and practitioners across the globe participated. Lectures about Shaolin tradition, Kungfu performances, Shaolin Zen philosophy and medicinal sciences were introduced. The festival is a test of Shaolin popularity abroad. But some worry that Shaolin tradition is becoming overly commercialized. Revamping an image
"We hope more foreigners learn about Chinese culture and religion through the festival," said Shi. According to Shi, over 1,000 people attended the conferences. Among them, over 400 were apprentices of Shaolin Kungfu, from 20 countries. Shaolin Kungfu is one of the most recognizable aspects of Shaolin tradition, popularized through movies, attracting thousands of apprentices to the 1,500-year-old culture. Six-year-old monk Shi Xiaosong, the youngest warrior monk in the temple, performed traditional Shaolin Kungfu at the festival. Li Xudong, his father, told the Global Times that two years ago, Shi fell ill. Doctors suggested the child practice Wushu to gain back his health. Though Shi doesn't have a typical education or childhood, Li said that Shi is content and takes courses at the temple, in lieu of normal study at school. Shaolin Temple emphasizes educating its monks and disciples. Half the monks at the temple are born in the 1980s. Though Buddhist disciples were once isolated from the outside world, modern monks study in Buddhist institutions and universities while teaching Buddhism, religion and philosophy. "Times have changed. Monks must learn communication and technology skills, study foreign languages and study abroad," Shi Yongxin told Xinhua. Overseas notoriety There are around 10 Shaolin temples in China. Shaolin Temple, in Songshan Mountain, Henan Province, is the oldest and most influential. The first overseas culture center was established in 1995 in New York. Shaolin culture centers are now found in German, France, Russia and Australia, providing information about Buddhist culture and Wushu. There are Shaolin Kungfu teaching institutions and organizations in over 50 countries and regions, boasting over 3 million foreign apprentices. Shaolin Kungfu courses are offered at universities overseas. In the 1970s, the temple accepted visits from Buddhist, Wushu and cultural institutions from Japan, South Korea, Europe and the US. Meanwhile, monks from the temple gradually left China, participating in religious forums and related activities abroad. Since 1987, Kungfu performing groups were sent overseas, in over 80 countries and regions. In 2004, California set aside March 21 as the commemorative "China Songshan Shaolin Temple Day." Shaolin Temple has a magazine, film company and office for Wushu promotion. Shaolin tradition is promoted through performances, films, TV series and Buddhist activities. Shaolin temples accept foreign apprentices who study Kungfu, accepting hundreds each year. Shi told Beijing News that before 2000, Shaolin culture popularity relied on Kungfu. Following it, Zen culture spread. Commercial aspects With Shaolin culture spreading abroad, some worry an inaccurate portrait is being painted in the West. In recent years, the temple has been scrutinized for its bold commercial moves. In 1989, the establishment of Warrior Monks Group, a tour performance group, was criticized as a pure commercial movie. In 1996, Shaolin Temple became the first temple in China to utilize the Internet. Shi Yongxin set up Henan Shaolinsi Television Co. In 1997, then Shaolin Temple Industrial Development Company in 1998. In 2006, a Shaolin food company was established. The temple opened a medicinal company in 2007, taking advantage of ancient Shaolin medicinal sciences. And in 2008, the first online shop to sell products related to Shaolin Temple opened on taobao.com, a step towards the e-business and commerce industry. At a forum at Peking University last year, Shi Yongxin said that Shaolin Temple opened over 40 companies abroad and had nearly 130 martial arts clubs. The temple profits abroad mainly through three channels: tuition from apprentices, performances and film production. Many find this contradictory to traditional images of temples as reclusive shrines with monks living off donations. Some criticize Shi's attempts to popularize Buddhist culture, calling it exploitative. Shi said that criticism is understandable. But monks need food and electricity, and the temple has expenditures. "Times have changed. We need to adapt and earn a living, otherwise, we could be eliminated," Shi told Beijing News, "We commercialize some parts to support our livelihood and spread Shaolin culture." "Shaolin is known world wide. It will be tarnished by others if we don't spread it ourselves. We need to take initiative before the commercial tide takes us over," Shi said. He added that they will never cater to the mass market. Ren Liang, a modern Buddhist expert, told the Global Times that the commercial activities aim to spread Shaolin and Buddhism culture, and this follows a natural course. Read More @ Source
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From 
Japanese Buddhism arrived in Utah with migrant workers who took jobs with Utah farms, mines and railroads. Over the years, many Japanese Buddhist church popped up across the state with increasing membership.
As a Buddhist teacher, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche knows about turning good intentions toward the world at large. He will be in Battle Creek to talk about compassion as the heart of spiritual practice on Sept. 21. The event is free and open to everyone.
<< Tibetan monk Shonu, 42, was sentenced in June 2012 to 18 months in prison for unknown charges.jpg)
"Dawa Tsering has got his life back and his health condition is quite well," the source says. "And he longs to return back to his monastery."
<< The Dharma School held a ribbon cutting ceremony this past weekend, and classes will start on October 3rd..jpg)
The 2012 European Shaolin Culture Festival, held in Germany and Austria on September 7, was organized by Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Henan Province and the World Shaolin Association.| 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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