India owns copyright to Buddhism: Karmapa Lama
India owns copyright to Buddhism: Karmapa Lama |
- India owns copyright to Buddhism: Karmapa Lama
- Karmapa reviving use of Sanskrit in spiritual order
- Unrest In Buddha’s Homeland: The Curious Case Of Lumbini
- Amdavadi mentors Ladakh’s child monks
- Investigating + Integrating Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care + Society
- A little “Xmas” cheer
- Village Zendo’s Enkyo O’Hara Roshi to celebrate 70th birthday
| India owns copyright to Buddhism: Karmapa Lama Posted: 25 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST IANS, Dec 23, 2011New Delhi, India -- Asserting that the noble land of India owned the copyright to Buddhism, the 17th Karmapa Lama, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, flagged off a grand three-day service in the capital on Friday on the occasion of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism completing 900 years, and said the faith had made a symbolic return to the land of its birth.
The service began with a special homage to Lord Buddha?s relics at the National Museum in the capital, followed by interfaith prayers at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. The prayers culminated in a mega-discourse in the evening on the relevance of Buddhism. The day's celebrations also saw the revival of the tradition of the recital of Buddhist doha (songs) - which was sung in its original Sanskrit version after a millennium by Karnataka-based musician and researcher Nand Kumar. The doha composed by the great Buddhist master from Bengal, Tilopa, was retrieved by the Dalai Lama, who commissioned its musical composition for posterity. Addressing the gathering of more than 1,000 delegates from 44 countries, the 17th Karmapa said there were 'many reasons for holding the commemoration of 900 years of the Karma Kagyu lineage' - also known as the Karmapa lineage - in India.
"India was the birth place of the Buddha and the wisdom of the 'mahasiddhas' - the early practitioners and scholars of the faith - came from India to the snowy land of Tibet? And it (Buddhism) became a true lineage of experience, realization and freedom from confusion. The lineage has remained unbroken for ages- abiding for hundreds of years in Tibet," the Karmapa said in his keynote address. "And now the noble lineage has returned to the noble land of India. It is a special honour to show our noble guests (from across the world today) as well as from the different regions of the Himalayas that the occasion for which we have gathered here is very meaningful to me," the Karmapa added. "What should we refer to Buddhism as (in this modern world)? Just spiritual guidance from long ago," he said. The Karmapa, who is hailed as the 'most outstanding monk in the Karma Kagyu sect led by the Dalai Lama', is believed to be the 17th reincarnation of Dusum Khyenpa, a monk born in 1110 AD in Tibet. Dusum Khyenpa is the founder of the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism. History cites that just as Buddhism was waning in India, Tibetan monk Dusum Khyenpa, knower of the past, present and the future, instituted the practice of intentionally reincarnating in a way that disciples could recognise. According to Buddhist scholars, the practice (reincarnation) forms the backbone of Tibetan Buddhism as it is known today. Dusum Khyenpa founded three seats of learning in Tibet and is revered as the first in the long line of Karmapas. As a tribute to the monk, a statue of the Dusum Khyenpa, which is known to have spoken in the past, has been brought to the capital - to bless the congregation. The statue, originally housed in the Kham region of eastern Tibet was brought to India later by the monks of the Ripa Bharma monastery and installed in Karnataka. Highlighting the importance in Buddhist wisdom in modern times, secular Islamic scholar, writer and National Minorities Commission head Wajahat Habibullah said the unifying factor that connected the diverse faiths of India was 'compassion'. "But most of us over the centuries have not lived up to it. Jesus had preached compassion (like Buddha) and the first page of the Quran says 'in the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful'. Unless we have love for each other, all our achievements are not going to get us anywhere," Habibullah said. The celebrations will close on December 25. Read More @ SourceWhite Tara Mantra (with words) 
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| Karmapa reviving use of Sanskrit in spiritual order Posted: 25 Dec 2011 08:00 AM PST IANS, December 25, 2011New Delhi, India -- The 17th Karmapa of the Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhist, Ogyen Trinley Dorje is spearheading the revival of Sanskrit - the language in which several early Buddhist texts had been composed in India before the religion spread to Tibet.
"In 2010, the 17th Karmapa began a search for the original Sanskrit texts of dohas (sacred couplets) composed by the great Indian `mahasiddhas` whose dharma teachings and meditation practices are transmitted today in the Karma Kagyu lineage," documents provided by the Karmapa`s office said. "After locating two rare texts, his holiness commissioned south Indian music scholar R.S. Nanda Kumar, who is reviving India`s ancient musical heritage, to set the verses to music following traditional doha song forms as faithfully as possible." The results of these efforts were "two dohas which were performed by Nanda Kumar". While one was a song of realisation by Saraha, the `mahamudra` master whose lineage the Karmapa transmit, the other was by Tilopa - another great `mahasiddha` in the Karma Kagyu lineage.
Most of these early traditional songs were composed in Sanskrit. "In the eighth century, `dwipadi` and `dwipathaka` - two other forms of spiritual songs - were also sung. They were similar to doha," Nanda Kumar said. However, `dohas` are different from `charya geeti`, he said. According to history, the Buddhist songs of realisation were sung poetry in various forms like the performance songs (charya geeti), diamond songs (vajragiti) and doha songs (couplets). The doha songs are primarily spiritual aphorisms expressed in the form of rhyme or couplets, `charya geeti` were stand-alone songs while `vajragiti` are essentially tantric. Read More @ Source
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| Unrest In Buddha’s Homeland: The Curious Case Of Lumbini Posted: 25 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST by Pradeepa Viswanathan, IPCS, December 23, 2011Lumbini, Nepal -- Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha has of late received the attention it deserves but sadly for the wrong reasons. The spiritual significance of the site appears to be in conflict with the 'Greater Lumbini Project' which proposes to commercialize the place.
Recent unrests have been witnessed by factions opposing such development. This article attempts to engage with the following questions: what factors have led to the unrest in Lumbini? What does Nepal plan to achieve by marketing Lumbini? Will this become a source of anxiety between Nepal's two largest neighbours – India and China? Lumbini is one of the four major Buddhist pilgrimages renowned in the Indian sub-continent (others include Sarnath (teaching), Bodh Gaya (enlightenment) and Kushinagar (death), all in India). In comparison to the other three sites, Lumbini has for long been in a desolate condition. Given the significance of the site, any effort to develop it should have been welcomed. However, recent plans of developing the site have been met with severe opposition from the Buddhist community in Nepal which resorted to staging of a peace rally and promulgation of the five-point demands.
Second, is the demand of Buddhists against 'the exploitation of religion for economic progress' and in favour of the appointment of 'stake holders' and not 'non-believers' to manage development at Lumbini. This is given the religious sentiments attached, which has not permitted any commercialization within three sq kms area around the site till date. However, if the current plan comes into play, Lumbini shall house an international airport, tourist facilities, convention centre and a Buddhist university among others. The external reasons building into the chaos are, first, the surfacing of APECF, a non-governmental organization as the major funder, which has pledged to pool in US$ 3 billion, into development activities. Doubts have been cast over APECF's funding sources and its (un)apparent links to the communist party in Beijing. Second, is the declaration of an agreement signed between the APECF, UNIDO (United National Industrial Development Organization), Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) and the Chinese Government, which if UNIDO and Nepal government sources are to be believed was never signed. Third, the involvement of Beijing, an 'officially atheist state' has also added to the chaos in Lumbini as well. It deserves mention here that the peace rally was taken out by the 'indigenous Buddhists' of Nepal and the unease with Beijing's involvement does not have a political connotation to it. Lumbini happens to be a major tourist destination in Nepal with a record 98,431 visitors (excluding Indians) as of October 2011. The declaration of 2012 as Visit Lumbini Year (VLY), the selection of peace ambassadors and the planning of international conferences in Buddha's nativity reflects the enthusiasm with which Nepal is trying to market Lumbini. By projecting Lumbini as a 'peace city', Nepal can enhance its national pride, garner international support and at the same time boost government revenues, create jobs and improve infrastructure. No doubt, the kicking off the current plan has the potential to lift Nepal's staggering economy. In this author's opinion then, it all comes down to selling it to the right investors as the required marketing has already been done – Lumbini features in UNESCO's World Heritage Site and continues to be addressed as the 'Mecca of Buddhists'. Both India and China, Nepal's largest neighbours, have stakes in Lumbini. Chinese stakes revolve around the percentage of people of Buddhist faith in the country as well as the increase of these Buddhist tourists to Lumbini. For this reason, China has become more tolerant of Buddhism portraying itself as the supreme protector of the religion. Additionally, Chinese involvement in APECF's affairs, the close relationship between Prachanda and Chinese Communist Party and the proposed railway line connecting Kerung Rasuwa with Lumbini, also signals a Chinese interest. Indian stakes in Lumbini are equally appealing. Lumbini is situated at merely eight kilometers from the Indo-Nepal border. There already exists an India-led Buddhist circuit to Lumbini, also covering Sarnath, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar. The fact of India being the 'karmabhoomi' of Buddha as against the 'janmabhoomi' has also added to India's advantage. As such any intrusion into the area has the potential to generate anxiety in both countries. In sum, Lumbini represents a complex interplay of religious sentiments and vested interests. However, plans to make Lumbini the 'Mecca of the Buddhist world' are far from actual realization given the politicization of the issue. Lumbini's development can certainly be in the long term interest of the country provided there is more transparency and public participation in the project. To quote the Economist', "if the would-be investors handle it better next time, such a huge project may seem irresistible." Read More @ Source
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| Amdavadi mentors Ladakh’s child monks Posted: 25 Dec 2011 06:00 AM PST by Dhwani Pathak Dave, Ahmadebad Mirror, December 24, 2011
Abhigya Shukla is on a mission to educate kids studying in monasteries of Likir. Through Friends of Likir page on FB, she invites like-minded people to join her Leh, Ladakh (India) -- It was a vacation to Ladakh that made 33-year-old educator Abhigya Shukla take up what now she regards as one of the most gratifying experiences of her life. Through a noble initiative - Friends of Likir -Abhigya plans to educate children in isolated villages of Ladakh.
These children study in a monastery school located in Likir, a small town in Ladakh. Today, she supports 10 institutions including a nunnery and government schools in the Nubra Valley, Zanskar and some villages on Indo-Pakistan and Indo-China borders. As an educator with Mahatma Gandhi International School, Abhigya had taught students of class 1, 2 and 3. Here, she had custom designed modules/projects that integrated essential learning skills like reading, speaking, art, theatre, expression and critical thinking. With the experience she gained out of teaching at the school and with the passion for educating tiny tots who brave high altitudes and freezing terrain to reach school, she embarked on the Likir mission. Great opportunity
Two years later a friend presented her with an opportunity to make a difference to the lives of these young monks and she readily took it up. Likir monastery conducts classes for grade 1 to 6. "Having worked as an educator and mentor since 2000, when I saw these brilliant boys enrolled in schools that have a principled yet conservative system of education, I secretly promised myself to come back and teach them," she says. Now, back from her three-month stay in Ladakh, Abhigya is raising funds to provide these children books, stationery, art supplies and health and nutrition supplements. "Earlier it was a tradition among Buddhist families to send one of their sons to the monastery. But now, it is usually families that cannot afford to educate or feed their children that send them to the monastery," she adds. Abhigya visited Ladakh in August to work with the Likir Monastery School for two weeks. The authorities expressed their need for more spoken and conversational English. And so, she designed short modules to enhance their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. They were also shown children's movies and had conversations that led to reflection and investigation. Help poured in Thanks to Abhigya's like-minded friends, help poured in from all quarters for her initiative. She just had to post her requirement on the internet and there was a whole lot of generous people ready to do their bit and support her cause. The Facebook page 'Friends of Likir' has 578 members currently. "During the weekend, I would just post on FB: 'The boys love to play football. Can someone send us some?' Within minutes, I would get a reply saying, 'Sending by tomorrow's courier'. A friend from Mumbai who runs a cafe sent three kgs of brownies and cheesecakes for the kids," says Abhigya. She says her initiative also helps people like her to connect with the other part of the country they may know little about. Read More @ Source
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| Investigating + Integrating Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care + Society Posted: 24 Dec 2011 05:01 PM PST The Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School will be holding their 10th annual International Scientific Conference, March 28-April 1, 2012, at the Four Points Conference Center in Norwood, Massachusetts. Among the plenary sessions are: Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery: The Story of an Emerging Research Program Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Comes of Age Here is the link to the full conference website: http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/conference/index.aspx Read More @ Source
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| Posted: 24 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST
Doesn't sound like much of a celebration, does it? And yet, Daniel and sons did in fact find seasonal cheer together. Get a little of it for yourself by reading Daniel's Shambhala Sun story, "Xmas Spirit," here. Read More @ Source
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| Village Zendo’s Enkyo O’Hara Roshi to celebrate 70th birthday Posted: 24 Dec 2011 10:00 AM PST  Photo by A. Jesse Jiryu Davis A 70th birthday celebration for Enkyo O'Hara Roshi will take place at New York's Village Zendo this January 8, 2012 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. Enkyo Roshi, who turns 70 on January 11, will lead zazen and give a talk, followed by brunch and birthday cake. Enkyo Pat O'Hara is a Soto Zen priest and Abbot of Village Zendo, a community-based practice center in New York grounded in the Soto tradition. She is a dharma successor of Tetsugen Bernard Glassman Roshi and is a member of the White Plum Asanga, an organization of affiliated teachers in the lineage of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi. (Photo by A. Jesse Jiryu Davis via Flickr. Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.) Read More @ Source
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The Karmapa called upon people to use the ancient wisdom of Lord Buddha and apply it to the contemporary world to promote world peace.
The Karmapa, who heads the Karma Kagyu school of Buddhist in India, has instituted a practice of opening his morning prayers with chanting of Sanskrit shlokas.
<< Nepalese Buddhist monks and nuns take out a protest in Katmandu, Nepal, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011. Photo: Niranjan Shrestha / AP
<< Abhigya Shukla (seated) supports 10 institutions in Ladakh including a nunnery and government schools in Nubra Valley
For all the talk of "comfort and joy," the holiday season can be pretty tough on many of us. Take author Daniel Asa Rose and his sons, a couple years back. Their family had broken up, and as Daniel writes, "We needed something good to happen." Jewish and with nowhere else to go, Christmas Eve found them in, of all places, a closed bowling alley.| 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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