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by Akuppa Article by Arjanyai The Buddhist brotherhood is composed of four assemblies of Buddhists, namely, monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen. Monks and nuns form the monastic section while laymen and laywomen form the lay section. The two sections follow the path of the Buddha at different levels. The monks are more devoted to spiritual development than the laymen. To minimize personal cares and worries, they shave their heads, wear only three robes and possess only a few necessary requisites. They depend on the laymen for material necessities such as food, clothing, lodging and medicine, and give them spiritual advice and guidance in return. To maintain the moral standard of the people and to make their own life favourable to spiritual devotion, the monks keep strict discipline. Although the rules are very strict, the monkhood is not separated from the lay world because the monasteries are always open to anyone who wants to retire there

by Tianyake Article by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Hyun Gak Sunim English Dharma Talk7 Hyun Gak Sunim English Dharma Talk7 Video Rating: 4 / 5 Prayer Wheel Buddhist Ethnic Tibetan Design Buddhist Prayer wheel in Tibetan inspired design The Prayer wheel measures 7" tall, 7" wide and 4" deep Made of resin Vibrant colors Fast Shipping By Priority Mail A Buddhist Prayer Wheel is a hollow cylinder with the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" embossed on the wheel. It is believed that spinning a prayer wheel is as effective as reciting sacred text aloud. The idea of spinning mantras originated from various Tantric practices where the mantras are visualized revolving around the nadis and meridian charkas such as brain and heart. The wheel is spun clockwise with compassion and devotion. Inside the prayer wheel there is a scroll with the same mantra repeated many times. The prayer wheel measures 7 inches tall, 7 inches wide and 4 inches deep

by Akuppa Article by Arjanyai Among Asian Buddhists, Ceylonese monks such as the Venerable Narada Mahathera, the Venerable Walpola Rahula and the Venerable Piyadassi Thera have been well known for their devoted effort to disseminate the original basic doctrine of the Buddha in international public and academic circles through both literary and missionary activities. Dr. G.P. Malalasekera, K.N. Jayatilleke, Dr. Jayasuriya and some other leading lay Buddhists of Sri Lanka have contributed greatly to international Buddhist scholarship, the availability of firsthand knowledge of Buddhism to Western readers and the lively interpretation of the Buddha-Dhamma intelligible and meaningful to modern mind. A number of devoted Ceylonese Buddhists join as honorary workers in conducting the Buddhist Publication Society3 at Kandy. It is said that during the last twelve years this non-profit organization has printed over a million booklets on all aspect

by Wonderlane Article by Amit kothiyal Originated in India, Buddhism preaches the path of practice and spiritual development and is one of the most followed paths with the teaching that have the utmost relevance. A lot of people aspire to understand, follow and know more about Buddhism in order to bring peace and calm in their lives. They travel to the finest and most popular Buddhist sacred sites of the world to understand and experience Buddhist teachings and lifestyle. This article states five best Buddhist sacred sites in India so that every Buddhist follower can understand the development of Buddhism in India more accurately through Buddhist tours. Lumbini - Place of Buddha's birth Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in Nepal nearby the Indian border, Lumbini is the place where the founder of Buddhism and apostle of peace and enlightenment, Lord Buddha was born. It is a place that is visited by every Buddhist devotee and s

by lamentables Article by jekky MalaSet of Japa mala, made from Tulasi wood, with head bead in foreground.A Japa mala' or mala (Sanskrit:; ml, meaning garland) (Tib. threngwa) is a set of beads commonly used by Hindus and Buddhists, usually made from 108 beads, though other numbers, usually divisible by 9, are also used. Malas are used for keeping count while reciting, chanting, or mentally repeating a mantra or the name or names of a deity. This practice is known in Sanskrit as japa. Malas are typically made with 19, 21, 27, 54 or 108 beads.In Tibetan Buddhism, traditionally malas of 108 beads are used. Some practitioners use malas of 21 or 28 beads for doing prostrations. Doing one 108-bead mala counts as 100 mantra recitations.{5}Malas are mainly used to count mantras. These mantras can be recited for different purposes linked to working with mind. Material can vary according to the purpose of the mantras used. Some beads can be u

The Dewdrop slips into the shining sea...choral piece. from Mugo on Vimeo . Ah! Blessed Lord! Oh, High Deliverer! I Take my Refuge in Thy Name and Thee! I Take my Refuge in Thy Law of good! I Take my Refuge in Thy Order! OM! The dew is on the lotus! -- Rise Great Sun! And lift my leaf and mix me with the Wave. Om Mani Padme Hum, the Sunrise Comes! The dewdrop slips into the shining sea! For full text see: The Light Of Asia , Sir Edwin Arnold These words come at the very end of the Light Of Asia, The musical arrangement is by Rev. Master Jiyu-Kennett and sung by...my walking companions late mother. Organ played by a monastic member. Photographs of the Lake District by my trusty walking companion . The short video I'd intended to post about my dad was lost in transition from phone to laptop. Lost without trace. Too bad, especially as we did so many takes and got so cold in the process. Sorry. Anyway a fitting memorial I think. And thanks for the emails you have se

by Wonderlane Article by Andy Rodick Buddhism is one of the most popular religions in the world and was originated in India. Therefore, Buddhist from all around the world visits India for pilgrimage. Some of the pilgrimage spots are also located in Nepal. So, come and visit all these spots. Let us know about the popular Buddhist spots starting from his birth to enlightenment and death. Lumbini -Birth Place of the Buddha Lumbini is the birth place of Lord Buddha. Lumbini is located in the foothills of Himalaya in Nepal. This is one of the most visited places by the Buddhist. There are many temples, Buddhist shrines and pagodas in Nepal. Some of the prominent among them are Maya Devi Temple, Puskarni, Buddhist Temple, Japan peace stupa, etc. visit Lumbini and understand about religion deeply and precisely. Bodh Gaya -Place of enlightenmentBodh Gaya is religious place situated in Bihar. It is famous as Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment i

Spokane Buddhist Temple This February 17 through 19, more than 350 Shin Buddhist practitioners will gather at the  Davenport Hotel in Spokane, WA for the 65th Annual Northwest District Buddhist Convention — the theme being "Under Amida's Umbrella of Compassion." Hosted by the Spokane Buddhist Temple of Spokane, the opening speaker will be Ven. Bhante Seelawimala of the Institute of Buddhist Studies and the keynote speaker will be Rev. Marvin Kenji Harada of the  Orange County Buddhist Church . The convention will include an opening and closing Buddhist service, a day of workshops in English and Japanese, a bookstore & gift shop, a banquet with entertainment (Spokane Taiko Japanese Drumming & a DJ with dancing), and a hospitality room. Speakers will deal largely with the topic of compassion. The Spokane Buddhist Temple is the oldest Buddhist establishment in the Inland Northwest. This all volunteer temple welcomes everyone to the convention, whether or not

by Alex Abian (Also on flickr.com/alexabian) Article by Ritika Joshi Buddhist tour to India is a captivating, attention-grabbing and treasured experience which opens the door to the world to know Lord Buddha and the divine and spiritual doctrine created by the intricate mind and beliefs of Lord Buddha realizing the world as it is. Buddhism a religion which narrates about Dharma and the most rational religious doctrine was first taught by Lord Buddha in Sarnath the blessed and devout place in Varanasi located in Uttar Pradesh and is the most vital element of Buddhist tour of India. Mystifying Sarnath's serene and soothing ambiance blended with calm and clarity is the most visited place in the Buddhist sphere and is termed as the Mecca for the Buddhist followers. The sacred and virtuous Sarnath is beautified and ornamented with many Buddhist remains, museums, temples which make the impression of this place supreme for chanting of holy

The Daily Star reports that Sadhana Nanda Mohasthabir — the venerated Bangladeshi Buddhist monk better known as "Bana Bhante" — died recently in hospital care in his hometown of Rajban Bihar in Rangamati. Arun at the "Angry Asian Buddhist" blog does an excellent job of putting Bana Bhante and his importance into historical perspective (and offers links to his teachings online) — we recommend checking that out, here . Read More @ Source World's most amazing photos - Part 7 --------------------------------click on the "show more" button---------------------------- Part name: "Amazing places from around the world" Thank you for watching this video, You can subscribe to this channel by pushing the "subscribe" button above the video, The story behind the photos: Photo number 10: The Hanging Temple is a temple built into a cliff (75 m or 246 ft above the ground) near Mount Heng, China. Built more

by Wonderlane Article by Rasmus Lindgren So you've decided you want to make the art of meditation a part of your life; first, though, you must determine the proper course of action for beginning Buddhist meditation.For while it's wonderful that you've chosen to make meditation a part of your daily regime, you can't just jump head first into the process without a certain amount of thought and preparation.Before you begin to meditate, you must first do a little housecleaning of the soul; purifying and sanctifying your lifestyle. Break unhealthy habits, abandon all manner of sin and vice, and strive to be both a good family person and a component professional. Lead your life with purpose, stay honest and true.Just as important, before beginning an intense course of Buddhist meditation you have to do your homework. Study Buddhism, reading, studying and inquiring about the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) as well as

We're always happy to talk about the work of Karuna-Shechen here; the organization, which focuses on humanitarian work in the Himalayan region, is truly an inspiration. And it turns out, it had a great 2011. By which we mean that its work – 120 projects by the count of main coordinator Matthieu Ricard (pictured, center, above) — flourished, assisting many people in need. Here's Ricard's latest "annual report," as it were; see if you're not inspired. Writes Ricard: Dear Friends of Karuna-Shechen, The year 2011 has been fruitful and constructive for Karuna-Shechen and we have begun a few new ventures in our target countries. In East Tibet, we are continuing our commitment to assist local people with their projects and needs. We are supporting the construction of two new large schools and a surgical clinic. We are helping with elementary schools and continuing our work with small medical clinics and social services. This includes support to the

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan are a music collective from Montreal. They bill themselves as a Black Metal band. The two leads, Alaska B and Ruby Atwood, identify themselves as practicing Buddhists. Here's a recent article about them:  http://www.avclub.com/toronto/articles/alaska-b-and-ruby-atwood-of-yamantaka-sonic-titan,68404/ Speaking of Buddhist Metal (?), don't forget Affinity in Toronto, with Sean Hillman on drums. Sean is a former Gelugpa monk, currently a Buddhist scholar at the University of Toronto, and publisher of the blog,  http://www.torontobuddhistethics.blogspot.com/ . You can follow the band via their Facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/affinityband Read More @ Source

Suwanda Sugunasiri, Canadian Buddhist scholar and community activist, weighs in on Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis, an important aspect of bioethics, with a Buddhist perspective:  http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=44144 Read More @ Source

A story made from Captcha words. Read on a video. The meaning is drawn from context, which includes everything from spelling and grammar to plot, tone of voice of the reader and the similarity of nonsense words to actual words that have meaning collectively which we have taken in as we learned language. The latter [...] Read More @ Source Alan Watts - The Religion of No Religion For over 40 years Alan Watts was the foremost interpreter of Eastern philosophy. He was instrumental in introducing Taoism, Buddhism and Zen to a Western audience in the 1950s and 60s. He was the author of more than 20 books and is one of the most widely read Philosophers of the 20th century. He was also a very highly regarded public speaker, renowned for his extraordinary intellect and wit. Alan Watts was a man ahead of his time and this is proved by the fact that his insights are still relevant today, more than 30 years after his death. Watts was an autodidact (self educa

A story made from Captcha words. Read on a video. The meaning is drawn from context, which includes everything from spelling and grammar to plot, tone of voice of the reader and the similarity of nonsense words to actual words that have meaning collectively which we have taken in as we learned language. The latter [...] Read More @ Source

with Jean-Claude van Itallie, Parlan McGaw and Rae C Wright Friday – Sunday Feb. 3 – 5 Join us for a special weekend arts and meditation retreat. In the belief that acting training is also training in being a human being, we'll examine how meditation helps us connect with our creativity and cultivate the mental focus, physical freedom, emotional range, and spontaneity that make for vibrant acting and vibrant living. This retreat a potentially transformational investigation of the process of "acting" meditation as we move through the world. The IDP has invited renowned playwright and acting teacher  Jean-Claude van Itallie to co-lead this workshop with  Parlan McGaw , actor and meditation teacher, and  Rae C Wright , actor, writer, and teacher. The workshop will include meditation instruction and practice, sensation & awareness exercises, contemplation exercises and improvisation — all designed to help us open the heart and deepen emotional authenticity, develop

The 13th Sakyadhita International Conference on Buddhist Women which will be held this year in Vaishali, India — has issued their annual call for papers. The theme this year is "Buddhism at the Grassroots." Sakyadhita, or "Daughters of the Buddha," describes itself as "the world's leading international organization of Buddhist women… an alliance of women (and men) committed to transforming the lives of women in Buddhist societies." You can watch highlights from last year's conference, which was held in Thailand, here . Read More @ Source Alan Watts - Ecstasy www.alanwatts.com dreamscene.org Alan Watts (1915-1973) who held both a master's degree in theology and a doctorate of divinity, is best known as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism in particular, and Indian and Chinese philosophy in general. He authored more than 20 excellent books on the philosophy and psychology of religion, and lectured extensively, lea

By FARIK ZOLKEPLI, The Star, January 29, 2012 KUALA TERENGGANU, Malaysia -- Two years after it was damaged in a fire, the more-than-200-year-old Ho Ann Kiong temple in Kampung Cina has been restored to its former splendour. << Former temple caretaker Tan Eng Hock cleaning up the temple grounds after the fire. The temple, built in 1801 and considered a major historical and tourism site, suffered major damage when fire swept through it in February 2010. The RM1.3mil restoration work on the Buddhist temple was carried out with public funds. "We never found out the cause of the fire. We just wanted to restore it to its former beauty," temple committee chairman Datuk Wee Cheng Huat told The Star yesterday. "The temple is an important landmark for the Chinese, with thousands visiting it each year to offer prayers," he said. "We are happy it can finally be used again," said Wee, thanking well-wishers and contributors who had pitched in for the res

An interesting piece by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, better known to some as a film director and writer than as a lama,  appeared on The Buddhist Channel today. He wrote: We must aspire to galvanize myriad manifestations of the Buddha, not just throne-hopping, Rolls Royce-driving tulkus who are a product of nepotism." ~Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse [...] Read More @ Source Tổ Sư Đạt Ma - Tập 2/2 Tổ Sư Đạt Ma - Tập 2/2 Đạo diễn: Brandy Yuen Biên dịch: DPA Thuyết minh: Huy Hồ, Thy Mai, Chiếu Thành, Bích Ngọc, Tấn Thi Buddha Learn Clip "Movie Clip" education Buddhism Buddhist English Chinese Vietnamese Video Rating: 5 / 5

by J.D. Velasco, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Jan 28, 2012 AZUSA, CA (USA) -- Smack dab in the middle of the Rosedale housing project is a mansion with a colorful history and surprising modern-day use. << From left, Phra Air Thaniyo, Venerable Phra Kruvites Ponyapone, VIce Abbott Phra Vichak Suddhiraro, and Phra Pepper Thanajaro stand before a Buddha statue at Dhammakaya International Meditation Center in Azusa on Friday, Jan. 20, 2012. The center offers meditation, yoga, and Thai language classes as well worship services. (Watchara Phomicinda/Staff Photographer) The MacNeil House, as it is known, was built in 1932 by Louise Slauson MacNeil - the daughter of influential land developer and Azusa founder Jonathan Sayre Slauson. MacNeil's sister, Kate Vosburg, lived next door in a house now used as the headquarters of the Monrovia Nursery. Though they were neighbors, the sisters notoriously did not get along, according to Jeffrey Cornejo, president of the Azusa Historical

by Gavin Takeno, Karma Chronicle, January 27, 2012 Honolulu, Hawaii (USA) -- Last Friday, the Pacific Buddhist Academy (PBA) received a $ 1000 donation from the Buddhist Women Association of the Jikoen Hongwanji for the new and highly anticipated school building. A proposed design for one of PBA's new classroom buildings. - permission of the PBA Administration. The Buddhist Women Association is a group of elderly, peaceful ladies that work night and day to produce products for their temple that they sell to keep their temple alive and well. Head of School Pieper Toyama feels humbled, honored, and appreciative that these women would work this hard to raise money and then simply give their money to us. "They don't know any of the faculty, nor do they know the students, but yet they came right out and gave PBA money," Toyama said. "These hard-working women just gave us money." Toyama believes the women committed themselves to the school's