The Tulane Unified Commencement Ceremony and a Public Talk at the Lakefront Arena
- The Tulane Unified Commencement Ceremony and a Public Talk at the Lakefront Arena
- Conference on ‘Resilience: Strength through Compassion and Connection’ in New Orleans
- A tour of Buddhist temples in Truong Sa
- Seeing where Shinto and Buddhism cross
- Buddhism won't be harmed by ex-drag queen
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Posted: 19 May 2013 03:00 AM PDT
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 18 May 2013 - Relationships formed between staff and students of the Tulane University School of Social Work over more than twelve years culminated today in His Holiness the Dalai Lama's presence at the 179th Tulane Unified Commencement Ceremony. This grand celebration for 2800 graduates, who came from all 50 states and 63 countries, the youngest among them being only 19 and the oldest 96, took place before an audience of more than 30,000 in the New Orleans Superdome.
His Holiness was welcomed on arrival by University President Scott S. Cowen who introduced him to members of faculty and his fellow recipients of honorary degrees, musicians Allen Toussaint and Dr John and United States Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey. In an impressive ceremony that combined formal speeches and awards with a more festive atmosphere that Dr White's traditional jazz band brought to the occasion, His Holiness was invited to give the keynote address. "Respected President of this esteemed university, respected professors and teachers, and young brothers and sisters who are today reaping the reward of years of hard work. You might have lost sleep over your exams, but now you have achieved the result. I am impressed to note that while you studied many of you have also made efforts to help others. Education gives us a good preparation, but it is by actually putting it to use in the service of others that we make our lives meaningful.
"The very purpose of our life is happiness, which is sustained by hope. We have no guarantee about the future, but we exist in the hope of something better. Hope means keeping going, thinking, 'I can do this.' It brings inner strength, self-confidence, the ability to do what you do honestly, truthfully and transparently. I appreciate your having already begun to help others."
He went on to say how important it is that the USA, the world's greatest democratic nation, pays attention to the rest of the world. Today, we need to think on ! a global level, to think of the oneness of humanity, and consider the welfare of all 7 billion human beings. He said: "I've had no modern education, so my knowledge compared to yours amounts to zero, but I have observed that many of the problems we face today are of our own creation. Because we created them, we must also have the ability to reduce or overcome them. You young people are educated, fresh and bright; you have the future in front of you. My generation belongs to the twentieth century and our century is over, we are almost ready to say goodbye. The twentieth century saw many great achievements, but it was also an era of bloodshed. The world did not become a better place as a result of that violence. Those of you who are less than 30 years old, who truly belong to the twenty-first century, please think on a more global level. Try to create a more peaceful, more compassionate world by taking into account the welfare of others."
"Please pay attention to securing your own sense of inner peace. Our hopes for the future rest on your shoulders. Please think about how to make this a more peaceful, compassionate century. Others have looked after you and helped you reach where you are; don't let small things obstruct or deflect you now from helping others in your turn. Let me congratulate you all on your graduation." The ceremony came to an end with a spectacular firework display and an unexpected performance from the two honoured musicians, Allen Toussaint and Dr John, as His Holiness left the stage. In the afternoon, His Holiness drove to the University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena in a part of the city inundated by flooding after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He was received by Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, who introduced him to the 8000 strong audience. After explaining that strong light is uncomfortable for his eyes, particularly after cataract surgery last year, His Holiness donned a blue UNO visor to rousing cheers and began his talk. "Brothers and sisters, I always make clear that we are all the same as human beings, physically, mentally and emotionally. You have the same potential to develop negative emotions like anger as I have, but we also have seeds of compassion, discipline and forgiveness. If you think of me as a stranger or as something special, you might not pay attention to what I have to say. We are the same." His Holiness spoke about how little he likes formality, keeping in mind that there is no formality around the two most important events in our lives, when we are born and when we die. Global climate change and the ups and downs of the global economy are problems that affect us all. They are not confined to state of national b! oundaries. Focussing on secondary differences between us like race, religion, nationality and gender, he said, stokes our inclination to divide people into 'them' and 'us.' This easily becomes the basis for violence, the basis for war. We need to think of each other as brothers and sisters in order to eliminate that potential for violence. He declared that we can make this a century of peace if we try, but that peace won't come about just as the result of prayers or the release of white doves.
"We need to begin to see other human beings as part of 'us' not 'them' and this planet as our home, because we depend on each other and we're connected to each other. We can no longer think only in terms of our territory or our nation; we have to think on a global level." He said that some people may feel that cultivating a compassionate heart benefits others more than us or that it is a sign of weakness. This is a mistake. Concern for others is the basis of inner peace. Thinking 'we are part of them' and 'they are part of us' strengthens our self-confidence. Fear, anger and hatred on the other hand have the effect of eating into our immune system. Nowadays, scientists are finding evidence that a healthy mind is important for a healthy body. We all inherit seeds of compassion and affection from our mothers. What we have to do is to nurture them through education and training. The warm-heartedness that results brings with it inner strength, self-confidence and a sense of trust. Trust is the foundation of friendship, the kind of sound friendship that lends support in the face of difficulties. When His Holiness was asked today what makes him happy, he replied: "A good night's sound sleep - and meetings like this during which I can share my thoughts with people like you. You seem to be taking an interest and paying attention, otherwise, if you were dozing off, I might be less happy. Part of my practice is to dedicate my body, speech and mind to the welfare of others, so, at the end of the day I may feel physically tired, but mentally I feel satisfied."
"I remember the advice of the 8th century Indian Buddhist master Shantideva that if a problem can be solved there's no need to worry and if it can't be solved then worrying is of no use. I also advise people facing difficulties to reflect that they are not the only ones to face such trouble; many other people have gone through what they're going through too. Worrying about it only adds to the burden. "Let me give you a personal example. When my senior tutor, the rock on whom I leant for support, the monk who gave me ordination, passed away, I felt a tremendous loss. But then it occurred to me that instead of wallowing in misery what I needed to do was to work to fulfil his wishes, which, of course, is what he would have wanted me to do.  Read More @ Source | ||||||
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Posted: 18 May 2013 04:00 PM PDT
New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 17 May 2013 - His Holiness the Dalai Lama's first engagement on his first visit to New Orleans this morning was a meeting with the Press. In his opening remarks he said:
"I'm very happy to be here. I was very sad when you were struck by Hurricane Katrina and again after the shocking event last weekend. I would like to express my sympathy for all the victims and their families. "Whenever I meet the media there are several points I like to share. The first is my commitment to promoting awareness that our ultimate source of happiness depends on our inner values, our sense of concern for others. The second is that as a Buddhist monk, I am committed to working to foster inter-religious harmony." Asked why he had come to New Orleans, he answered that he had received an invitation. He welcomes the opportunity of participating in discussions like that planned for this morning, because it presents a chance for him to learn. And, as Buddhist monk, he dedicates his body, speech and mind to the welfare of others, so meetings like this also allow him to share his thoughts with other people.
Another question suggested that there is just enough religion to make men hate each other, but not enough to make them love each other. His Holiness's reply was forthright:
"I think that's wrong. All the major religious traditions convey a message of love and compassion and in the face of difficult circumstances counsel tolerance and patience." At the start of the morning's panel discussion, Dean of Tulane University's School of Social Work, Ron Marks explained to His Holiness that on the previous day participants in the audience had taken a written pledge to work for compassion and offered him their signatures. Putting on a Tulane University visor to protect his eyes from the strong lights and to enable him to see faces in the audience, His Holiness offered a few words to open the discussion" "Brothers and sisters, first of all I wan! t to make clear that you shouldn't think the person speaking here is anything special. We are all the same kind of human beings, mentally, physically and emotionally. It is important that we register that all 7 billion human beings alive today are the same in that we all want to live a happy life and we all have a right to do so. If we focus instead on secondary differences and neglect the oneness of humanity tragedy takes place."
A member of the audience said she was excited about the pledge to compassion but wanted to know how to sustain it. His Holiness said: "Learn about it by listening and reading and think about it to reinforce your conviction; then when you are faced with difficult situations, remember what you have understood and try to restrain your disturbing emotions. That's the way we gain strength from our own experience." Another questioner wanted to know where there was space for the wisdom of compassion in the face of violence like that last weekend in the city. Margaret Wheatley replied: "Our first reaction is often to want to strike back when we are challenged, but by not reacting immediately we can seize the moment for the practice of compassion." Richie Davidson added: "You often speak of the importance of education, Your Holiness; early education can be so helpful. We are born with a sense of kindness and compassion, but like our facility for language, we have the capacity, but we need community support and encouragement to develop our compassion." Asked at what age children can be trained to meditate, His Holiness answered that he began when he was 14 or 15 years old, saying that he was not very interested before that. However, circumstances taught him that he needed some mental strength.
His Holiness asked if he might add that the problems we face are of two categories: those that arise because of natural disasters and those that are attributable to our own behaviour. When events take place as a result of human intervention, in which innocent people, women and children are harmed, we cannot simply lament, but have to see what action we can take. He said he remains hopeful. "I've been a refugee for 54 years now. Early on no one talked about inner peace. Now, decade by decade, more and more people talk about it as we increasingly find there are limits to material development. What's important to me is the scientific research which shows that warm-heartedness is of real benefit to our health and well-being." Another questioner asked about trauma, coping and resilience. His Holiness said: "In the Tibetan tradition, in terms of coping with adversity, victims are encouraged to cultivate forbearance and the first stage of that is to develop a sense of equanimity. Forbearance builds up resilience and protects you from giving in to disturbing emotional impulses. A senior monk I know spent 17-18 years in Chinese prison after 1959. In the 1980s he was released and was able to join me in India. Once, when we were chatting about his experiences ! he told me that there had been dangerous moments during his imprisonment. I thought he meant threats to his life, but he said, 'No, there were times when there was a danger of my losing compassion for my Chinese captors.' This is an example of practice in action. He has since been examined by medical scientists who found he has no post-traumatic symptoms. He has physical pains, but no mental unease." His Holiness was invited to a celebratory luncheon in the company of New Orleans Mayor, Mitch Landrieu and US Representative John Lewis. Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh representatives offered prayers and His Holiness addressed the gathering.
"Dear brothers and sisters, in this place that not so long ago was struck by natural disaster and only a few days ago witnessed another tragedy, I would like to tell you I share your suffering and express my heartfelt sense of concern. Some people refer to me as a 'living buddha', others call me a 'demon', but actually I am just a simple Buddhist monk. "When I was born, the Japanese had invaded China, Nazi power was on the rise in Europe and Stalin was exerting his power in the Soviet Union. Then the Second World War broke out, followed by the Korean War, the Vietnam War and in the meantime, there was an intense civil war in China. It's not surprising that some say 200 million died as a result of violence in the twentieth century. If that violence had created a more peaceful world it might have been somehow justified, but that wasn't the case. "Nowadays, we are confronted by a huge gap between rich and poor. This is not only morally wrong, but practically a mistake. It leads to the rich living in anxiety and the poor living in frustration, which has the potential to lead to more violence. We have to work to reduce this gap. It's truly unfair that some people should have so much while others go hungry." He said that in this century we should work to make a happier world. This should be a period of dialogue. We will always face problems and conflicts of one sort or another, but we have to avoid trying to deal with them through force and turn instead to dialogue. On the basis that humanity is one family, achieving your own interest involves cultivating concern for the interests of others. Only being concerned for ourselves and dwelling on a sense of 'them' and 'us' is out of date. | ||||||
| His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking during his talk on "Strength Through Compassion" in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 17, 2013. Photo/Jeremy Russell/OHHDL |
"Please don't think that compassion, love and tolerance only belong to religion. They belong to human life. From compassion we develop self-confidence; that brings inner strength, allowing us to act with transparency and candour. We can make this a more peaceful century if we conduct ourselves in this way, if we cherish non-violence and concern for others' well-being. It is possible. If the individual is happier, his or her family is happier; if families are happy, neighbourhoods and nations will be happy. By transforming ourselves we can change our human way of life and make this a century of compassion."
Among questions from the audience was one about the situation in Tibet. His Holiness replied that situation has sometimes been better and sometimes worse; right at the moment it's worse.
"In the early 80s we were hopeful of positive change and I have no doubt that if Hu Yaobang had remained in power we could have seen a solution to the Tibetan problem. But demonstrations erupted in China leading to the Tiananmen event and an eventual crackdown."
Asked what makes him happy, His Holiness harked back to his childhood: "When I was still very young, after I reached Lhasa under the name Dalai Lama, my mother would often come to see me with different kinds of bread that she'd baked. She was an expert baker. I remember how I happy I was to see her with her fresh bread. I appeal to those of you who have children of your own now to spend more time with them like my mother tried to do with me. She was uneducated, illiterate, and yet we her children never saw her angry. She was always kind and compassionate. Because I was then the youngest, I was showered with the most affection. If I h! ave any sense of compassion today, the seed of it is due to my kind mother. Thank you."
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Posted: 18 May 2013 03:00 PM PDT
Nhan Dan, May 18, 2013
Truong Sa, Vietnam -- Since time immemorial, Vietnamese fishermen have built small shrines and temples on islands in the East Sea to pray for safety and good luck during their seafaring journeys. The following is a photo gallery of recently built and renovated Buddhist temples on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands
Song Tu Tay Temple
Song Tu Tay Temple, on Song Tu Tay Island, is the largest Buddhist temple in Truong Sa, built according to the traditional architectural layout. Its garden grows a variety of plants indigenous to Truong Sa such as velvet soldierbush (Heliotropium foertherianum) and beach barringtonia (Barringtonia asiatica).Song Tu Tay Temple, together with the lighthouse and monument to national hero Tran Hung Dao, forms a typical Vietnamese architectural, cultural, spiritual and historical complex in the East Sea.
Sinh Ton Temple
Truong Sa Lon Temple, on Truong Sa Lon Island, has a wide square campus.
Behind its courtyard and garden is the main hall which houses a statue of Buddha made of white jade. The statue, which was originally situated in the Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar, is a gift from the World Buddhist Federation to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who later presented it to the temple.
All the Buddhist temples in Truong Sa have their main entrance facing towards Hanoi. They are modelled on traditional Vietnamese architecture and built with saltwater-resistant wood.
The Buddha altar is decorated with highly sophisticated statues made of precious stone and wood. Wooden decoration boards with couplets (or "parallel sentences") are painted red and gold and embossed with Vietnamese texts.
In addition to the Buddha altar, all Truong Sa temples also have another altar dedicated to Vietnamese national martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect the nation's sovereignty over its sea and islands.
The couplets hung in Buddhist temples in Truong Sa all carry deep meanings that affirm Vietnamese sovereignty over these islands.
For the residents of the Truong Sa Islands and all Vietnamese people, the sea and islands are an integral part of Vietnam that has been protected by divine power since ancient times.
Truong Sa's Buddhist temples not only symbolise of traditional Vietnamese beliefs, they also represent the love of the Vietnamese people for those living in this remote region of the country.
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Posted: 18 May 2013 02:00 PM PDT
by Sachiko Tamashige, Special To The Japan Times, May 16, 2013
Tokyo, Japan -- "The number of Shinto shrines in Japan has changed over centuries due to various political and social changes. There were about 190,000 shrines during the early Meiji Era (1867-1912), before a drastic change came about in the merging of shrines and temples. The number of shrines was greatly reduced, and now there are only around 80,000. That's not much more than the number of convenience stores across Japan."
This is how Tsunekiyo Tanaka, president of Jinja Honcho (Association of Shinto Shrines) began a lecture - with a little humor. Established after World War II, Jinja Honcho was created to supervise Shinto shrines throughout in Japan, and Tanaka was speaking at a recent special public event hosted by "The Grand Exhibition of Sacred Treasures from Shinto Shrines" at the Tokyo National Museum.The exhibition celebrates the 62nd "grand relocation" of the Ise Grand Shrine and is being held with special assistance from Jinja Honcho and with the cooperation of numerous individual shrines throughout Japan.
Although Shinto, the way of kami (gods), is believed to be an indigenous faith of Japan, few Japanese are devoted Shintoists. Instead, many visit Buddhist temples as well as pray for luck and happiness at Shinto shrines. It is believed that before Buddhism was introduced in Japan, however, Shinto was born from an existing primitive form of religion that worshipped nature.
The ancient people of Japan honored sacred spirits that they recognized in nature, manifesting in mountains, rocks, rivers and trees. As communities grew, they began erecting shrines where they could worship these deities, and the shrines became centers of regional life and culture.
"Shinto never had holy scriptures like the bible to follow, nor does it have a doctrine. It's more of a way of living, or the wisdom of how to live in harmony with the nature, while being grateful and respectful of all the spirits of life," he continued. "Shinto has permeated everyday life in such a way that most people are not particularly conscious of its influence."
Omusubi (rice balls), for example, originally symbolized the tying of the "souls" of ine (rice plants), which themselves are believed to be inherited from kami.
"You take firm hold of the rice, the souls, and mold them with both hands, which have been purified with a little salt and water," Tanaka said. "Mothers' hands are ideal to make omusubi, as the mother represents life, love and care. Now, though, people often buy omusubi at convenience stores."
As Tanaka explained in his talk, it is rare to have the relocation of two major shrines, Ise and Izumo, in the same year — and so he hopes these events will help "revive the relationship between people and kami by evoking the awareness of its tradition and rich cultural background"
Ise Grand shrine in Mie Prefecture, the most venerated of shrines in Japan, is dedicated to Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, who, according to myth, is the original ancestor of the imperial family. The first relocation ceremony of Ise was in 690 AD, and since then the ritual is repeated every 20 years. It involves the temporary relocation of the shrine's kami during the renovation of the grounds' buildings. The procedure not only ensures the preservation the original design of the shrine, but it also gives craftsmen the opportunity to showcase and pass down their skills to the next generation.
"It is believed that the kami are also rejuvenated through the renewal of buildings and furnishings," said Hiroshi Ikeda, special research chair of the Tokyo National Museum. "And that implies the idea of everlasting youth, known as tokowaka."
Numerous sacred treasures — including 160 designated National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties — from various shrines have been brought together for this commemoration of Ise's grand relocation. Unprecedented in scale and scope, the exhibition showcases Shinto artworks that vary from symbolic objects such as a bronze mirror and Japanese magatama beads, to more practical items including arms and armor, beautifully embroidered garments, furniture, a writing box and an accessory box complete with a toiletries set of combs decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay and maki-e lacquer.
"The sacred treasure items are often oversized or undersized, emphasizing that they were not for human use," Ikeda explained. "They emulated the styles once popular in the residences of imperial and aristocratic families, and so such objects came to represent court society life and aesthetics, from which Japanese style, known as wayo developed."
Ikeda went on to explain that shinzo, (Shinto kami statues), were also made in the style of Japan's aristocrats. Kami, which were originally understood to be invisible and intangible deities, first began to be represented in figural form in the 8th century, because of the influence of popular Buddhist statues.
"The earliest surviving examples of Shinto statues date from the 9th century," Ikeda said. "And as there were no iconographic rules for Shinto kami statues, as there are for Buddhist ones, they were represented more freely, modeling court style.
Other sections of the exhibition focus on discoveries at ceremonial sites that indicate the beginnings of a ritual celebration of kami, and on objects — including costumes, instruments and masks — used at ceremonial performances at festivals. Such rituals involved asking kami and ancestral spirits for divine protection, and praying or giving thanks for peace and a bountiful harvest.
At festivals, specially prepared foods were presented as offerings, to be enjoyed alongside a variety of ceremonial performances, including music, dance and Noh plays. All of this harks back to the original purpose of food and performing arts in Shinto — the idea that those involved in the preparation of food and musical or Noh activities would devote themselves to the skills of their art form to please kami, with the belief that kami also reside in the highest achievement of art.
In the words of Tanaka: "In Japan, anything in your life can be the 'way' of something, or a discipline, which is something I believe was influenced by Shinto. Take for example, the way of the sword, calligraphy, singing, or even cooking noodles — these can be accomplished with the sincere aim of excelling to the highest achievement, the results of which can be only offered to kami."
If you go
"Grand Exhibition of Sacred Treasures from Shinto Shrines" at the Tokyo National Museum runs till June 2; open 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. (Fri. till 8 p.m., Sat, Sun till 6 p.m.) ¥1,500. Closed Mon. www.tnm.jp The exhibition next venue will be the Kyushu National Museum from Jan. 15-March 9, 2014.
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Posted: 18 May 2013 01:00 PM PDT
The Nation, May 18, 2013
Bangkok, Thailand -- Critics say that, by ordaining as a monk, a celebrity transvestite is using the religion for selfish reasons, but, like everyone else, he has the right to seek solace in the temple
<< Sorawee, from drag queen to monkOne key argument against the decision by a former Miss Tiffany to become a monk is that he may be doing so to escape personal problems or send someone a statement. In other words, he may not be seeking the kind of spiritual peace that those seeking ordination are supposed to. Religion, critics of Sorrawee "Jazz" Nattee say, is neither a hiding place nor a means of revenge.
Sorrawee, who never underwent gender reassignment, was quietly ordained recently after having his silicone breast implants removed, only for the fact to emerge as headline news in the Thai-language media.
Sorrawee had been frequenting temples before his decision. He also consulted many people before deciding to be ordained. It was clearly not a knee-jerk decision made in the heat of the moment. And even if it had been, why should we blame him? One way or another, people turn to religion because they believe they are facing problems that cannot be resolved in the lay world.
Some have predicted that Sorrawee's time in the monkhood will be short-lived - a quick in-and-out way of seeking religious solace. They say Sorrawee will be out of the monkhood in no time if the worldly situation that drove him there in the first place suddenly improves. Again, even if that turns out to be the case, religious freedom tells us that he has every right to try the spiritual peace of Buddhist. This religion is supposed to offer comfort during hard times and does not hold anyone in a firm grip. It's fine if you want to spend the rest of your life in a Buddhist sanctuary, but it's also fine if you just want to give it a try.
That women can only become "nuns", not monks, has been a focus of criticism where Buddhist is concerned. This must continue to be an issue that invokes constant debate and open-minded analyses. But by and large, Buddhist is generous, compassionate and encourages questioning.
Buddhism has not been free from exploitation. There have been sects or cults that preach that, the greater your religious donations - meaning money - the greater your chance of going to "Heaven". True students of Buddhist know within their hearts, however, that such teaching is not the religion's true essence.
If there are threats that might undermine Buddhist as Thailand's main religion, then they are represented by this kind of wayward teaching, not people like Sorrawee becoming monks. He, in the saffron robe, only represents the religion's openness and ability to offer peace and comfort. Whether he will "succeed" or "fail" will be of his own accord. No misguided "principles" will emerge to influence him while he is in the monkhood.
Despite the undeniable flaws of the Thai monkhood in general, Buddhist's real essence has been unwavering since the day the Lord Buddha proclaimed the religion. If Sorrawee really devotes himself to Buddhist study as a monk, he will find that many things that he takes as his are not really his. He will be able to look back at his time as Miss Tiffany with a new perspective. He will learn that the memory of it is part of his journey and is nothing to be ashamed of.
That is the charm of Buddhist. No matter who you are, where you come from or what you have done in the past, the door to the "try-out" room is always open, and you can check out any time if you don't like it. All you need is the sincere will to look inside.
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