Thanks to the eradication of terrorism, people in the country celebrated Poson in an atmosphere of peace and harmony after a long tome, observed Ports and Civil Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa in Hambantota last week.
Speaking at the opening of Ruhuna Poson Mahimaya celebrations held in Hambantota, under the aegis of the Light of Asia Foundation and Lanka Salt (Pvt) Limited, Rajapaksa said that Poson was an ideal occasion to remember King Asoka`s message of Dhammavijaya and renew our commitment to peace, harmony and national unity.

Chief Media Consultant of Light of Asia Foundation, Edwin Ariyadasa said that people were celebrating Poson this year with a real sense of freedom. “The masses feel that they have been liberated at last. Terrorism is no longer a menacing presence in society. This is the outcome of unwavering determination of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.”

Ariyadasa requested Minister Rajapaksa to inform President Rajapaksa that time was opportune to hold a Dhamma Sangayana (a Buddhist Council) in the country under his patronage. The first Buddhist Council was held soon after the parinibbana of the Buddha. And the last one was held in Myanmar in 1953, said Ariyadasa.

“In 2011 we will celebrate the 2600th year of the attainment of Supreme Enlightment by ascetic Siddhartha. Therefore this is history’s best moment for the President to hold the Seventh Dhamma Sangayanaya with Sri Lanka as the hub and the centre. The whole world will be with him in this great and noble task.”

Ven. Ellawela Vijitananda Thera, Lanka Salt Chairman, Mahinada Gunawardena, and Chairman, Light of Asia Foundation Navin Gunaratne also participated. The festival continued for three days with a large participation of devotees.

Short and feature films on Buddhist themes were shown on jumbo screens for the benefit of devotees. ‘Asoka’, ‘Angulimala’, and ‘Uppalavanna’ were among the feature films screened.
Exhibition of photographs, recitals of devotional songs by schoolchildren, religious plays enacted by students, were among the demonstrations conducted at the festival.

--Nation--




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Film Director Jayantha Chandrasiri and Myanmar Blogger monk Ashin Mettacara during the ceremony

Film Star Thumindu Dodanthenna and Ashin Mettacara

June 03, Anuradhapura: Following the unification of the country, Jayantha Chandrasiri, a well known film director in Sri Lanka has taken steps to make a new film on the biography of great king "Dutugemunu".

The initial religious ceremonies of the film was held last evening in front of the Ruwanwelisa Dagoba in Anuradhapura, one of the greatest creations by the King Dutugemunu in his life time. Myanmar Blogger monk Ashin Mettacara was also invited to bless the ceremony.

King Dutugemunu was a Sinhalese king who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC.

The most significant event of this occasion was the congratulations made by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa through satellite to the director of the film and its actors.

Thumindu Dodanthenna, a new comer is to act as King Dutugemunu while Jackson Anthony plays the role of his rival, King Elara.

--Colombopage--

Dr.T.Jayasinghe - Palestine

(Asian Tribune)During my travelling to many cities in Palestine which includes both Israel and West Bank, I happen to notice Bo trees ( Ficus Religiosa) in many parts of Israel and West Bank and naturally I became curious to know more about the presence of this tree in this part of the world.

In Tel Aviv it is a very common tree found along many roads and nobody could explain the origin or any special significance of its presence. It may be that no one has taken the trouble to study it. However it is obvious that it is not an indigenous tree for according to information available it is native to countries like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, Vietnam etc as it is always associated with Buddhism. Bo tree is a significant part of Buddhist rituals and was a symbol of veneration.

Later I happen to read an article written by Prof. Mendis Rohanadheera in a souvenir published in connection with a Buddhist function of Sri Lankans working in Israel. There he says that a Buddhist monk of Arahat status, by the name Punna came to Palestine which according to him was then called Sunaparantha region.

Sunaparantha region is mentioned in Buddhist scriptures called Sunaparantha discourse of Majjima Nkaya. However some commentators identify Sunaparantha with Maharashtra of India.

Presence of Buddhism in this region many centuries ago is also mentioned in an article written by Rev. Medagama Dhammananda Thero of Asgiriya Chapter to Divayina news paper some months back.

Presence of Buddhism in Palestine and Middle East is also mentioned in a number of Web sites under a number of topics but evidence is insufficient to identify any particular region.But a Web site under Dead Sea Scrolls mention of King Asoka of India sending Buddhist monks to Qumran region in Palestine.

In the meantime I hear that Dr. Mark Allon of Australia had done extensive research on Dead Sea scrolls found in the Dead Sea area of Palestine around Jerico.These scrolls indirectly speak of the presence of Buddhism in Palestine associated with the Qumran community.

Palestine has all the evidence of a great civilisation going back to thousands of years. On going excavations in Jerico has proved this. Palestine is also home to three major religions Islam,Judaism and Christianity.

Even though there is scant evidence to the presence of Buddhism in Palestine specially around Jerico that evidence had not been researched sufficiently. Dr. Mark Allon appeared to have studied the Dead Sea scrolls where they speak of the presence of Buddhism among some communities.

Apart from that there are stories about a Buddhist monk named Arahat Punna living in Jerico or Dead sea area with another 3000 odd Buddhist monks and one story says that Arahat Punna silenced the sea as the noise of the waves were disturbing the monks who were meditating. The name Dead sea is supposed to have come after that.

Another important place in Jerico, religion wise is the Mount of Temptation with caves for meditation and a foot print.Normally footprints are associated with religious leaders.At the Mount of Temptation Jesus is supposed to have fought the temptations of Satan. This is the same as the story of Lord Buddha and his encounter with Mara or Death who tried to prevent him from becoming a Buddha.

Unfortunately present day researchers and scholars concentrate more on East when it comes to research on Buddhist studies and hardly any interest is shown to Middle East also called Yonaka Pura.

I hope that this bit of information will create an interest among the scholars engaged in research on the history of Buddhism.





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By Ven Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero


It may be that neither such a person nor a physician would discover the cause or source of the illness. Even at times of apparent well being symptoms of the illness still persist!

When one has nobody in whom to confide one’s stresses then one has to bear the pain. There are many good people whose heart will melt at others’ troubles. One may find the needed compassion in a person who follows the Buddha’s path. Such a kind person may render help with no expectation of a returned favour.

He or she may help another person whatever his or her station in life, creed or belief.

Compassion for people in trouble is a natural way of life for the Buddha’s disciples.

Compassion is also a necessary element of a meditation associated with, and given the name of, loving-kindness.

However, there is a meditation that promotes mental wellbeing and is an antidote for mental stress. It is the mindfulness of in-out breathing.

We breathe in and out from the time we are born. We continue doing so until death. This happens due to a natural reflex action to keep us alive. Being mindful of that action is what we call the ‘mindfulness of in-out breathing’.

This is one of the fundamental kinds of meditation that the Buddha practiced and taught. This is different from the breathing exercises athletes perform to help their chest muscles and lungs expand. ‘Mindfulness of in-out breathing’ is a meditative process to calm the mind and achieve concentration. It is not any kind of prayer or ritual. It is a wise way for the introspection of life.

The meditator finds a restful, quiet environment free from distracting conditions. He or she should sit with back straight.

Experienced practitioners of this meditation sit on a level floor, the legs folded inwards and under, hands resting on the lap, palms facing upwards, right hand upon the left. However, beginners may feel more comfortable and relaxed sitting on a straight-backed chair. Those who begin practicing this meditation sitting on a chair may benefit by gradually practicing it sitting on a level floor The meditator breathes in and out two or three times and tries to relax. First, close the eyes and thinks: “Homage to the Exalted One, the Fortunate One, and the Fully Enlightened One. He taught me this meditation.” Let the meditator repeat this thought of homage three times, as is the customary and traditional practice.

Now, remaining alert and mindful, one breathes in.

Remaining alert and mindful, one breathes out. One closes one’s eyes and concentrates one’s mind at the tip of one’s nose or the region above the upper lip. However, one’s mindfulness is not about the area where the breathing touches, but about the act of breathing in and breathing out.

One guards the mind against scattering and grabbing other mindfulness of breathing. That effort is not physical. It is effort sustained by practice, attention and wisdom.

When one breathes in one is aware that one is breathing in.

When one breathes out one is aware that one is breathing out.

When one breathes in a short breath one is aware that one is breathing in a short breath. When one breathes out a short breath one is aware that one breathes out a short breath.

When one breathes in a long breath one is aware that one is breathing in a long breath. When one breathes out a long breath one is aware that one breathes out a long breath. Thus one is mindful of the process of in-out breathing.

One’s mind is not free from agitation at the beginning of one’s meditation. As one continues to meditate one’s mind becomes calm. One may hear a sound but one does not dwell upon the source of the sound. One may consider the sound as an impermanent thing and reject it from one’s mind. One reverts to being mindful of one’s breathing. Perhaps one may feel a pain in the knee due to being seated. One may briefly change one’s posture to alleviate the pain and then revert to being mindful of breathing.

When one’s mind is concentrated one may experience knowledge and vision according to reality. One does not pay attention to things one sees or does not see. One does not dwell on one’s subconscious visions. One considers all mental formations as impermanent phenomena. One will thus remain mindful of breathing in and breathing out.

As one continues practicing mindfulness of in-and-out breathing one will succeed in rejecting all extraneous thoughts from entering one’s mind. That is concentration. It is the mental state of firmly fixing the mind on a single object. In that state one gains the power of determination, courage and tranquillity to face the impact of worldly nature on one’s life.

One’s mind attains a state of joy and happiness. One’s body and mind will be relaxed and free of the stresses that vexed one.

The Supreme Buddha perfected the practice of mindfulness of inout breathing during His search for Nibbana.

May you, the reader, understand and realize the Four Noble Truths through the practice of in-out breathing. This is the Buddha’s way. May the peace and tranquillity it brings about lead you to the threshold of Nibbana.




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By Grant Lawrence


"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and spiritual; and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity."

"If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism."

-- Albert Einstein


Humanity is at the brink of evolving itself into a new life form. It seems to me at some point a life form advances to such a point that it begins to take control of its own evolution. That is if the life form doesn't destroy itself first with that technology. I think that humanity has arrived at this point now.


Just how the new evolved human will look, I am not sure. But I am confident that the future evolved "human" will be a genetically engineered form of man and machine. It is also likely that humankind will create some type of self aware machine that may someday itself evolve into a bio machine.


All of this is quite unsettling for those trapped in the dark ages of religious myth and fantasy. Not that there is no room for myth and storytelling in helping to understand the human experience. But it is important to come to terms with reality and our relationship with it. If religious traditions and storytelling doesn't offer a glimpse into reality, but merely causes more confusion, then it needs to be clarified and understood for what it is.


How will any religion or spirituality help humanity deal with this "Brave New World" of science and technology so that life can retain its meaning and some joy?


As the rest of human life is changing at tremendous pace so to will be our understanding of the psyche, consciousness, and the hidden realms of the spiritual. We cannot discard that spiritual aspect of our lives now that humanity will soon be evolving itself into something else. I firmly believe that it is fundamentally important that we don't discard the spiritual, especially now, because it is the spiritual that will allow us to keep our heads (sanity) as we navigate through some very difficult times for humanity.


But what spiritual tradition can help humanity move hopefully, peacefully, and lovingly into a fantastic and sometimes frightening world of change. I agree with Einstein that Buddhism can be that "cosmic religion of the future."


I am not asking anyone to discard their atheism or their belief in a particular religion. But what I am saying to those that have some understanding of the future is that spirituality is an important aspect of life. Rather than abandon the spiritual life because the "old" religious traditions and beliefs no longer fit and are not helpful, I propose that we consider adopting a cosmic understanding to go with the cosmic change that awaits us.


Buddhism is the path of a good mind and a good heart.


In traditional Buddhism, what is not reasonable, reliable, and truthful should be discarded. Buddhism doesn't ask us to believe in a supreme creator or a personal God but we can if we find that such is our understanding. Instead Buddhism asks us to consider in what way our thoughts, words, and deeds have contributed to building our lives. Buddhism also asks us to consider in what way we are connected and interconnected with the rest of life and to what extent we have effected our relationships and they have effected us. Buddhism offers a path of right living and right mindfulness so that we suffer less and we have more joy in our lives. This path can be found through the spiritual discipline of meditation and association with others in a spiritual community.


Buddhism doesn't ask us to discard the unseen forces that exist all around us, it only asks us to consider in what way these forces are helpful or unhelpful. Buddhism points to the Absolute and the truth behind all of the energies and movement that we see as our life.


But, Buddhism also is a religion of love. Life without love is intolerable and Buddhism understands this. The Buddha asks us to go beyond the conditioning of our society, culture, and families and to see people as ourselves with similar likes, dislikes, feelings, and emotions. Also, the Buddha asks us to consider all of life and all of the beings that we are aware of and to think in terms of being a part of each other. The Buddha taught that there can be no peace, no real joy, and no harmony when we are contributing to people being abused or unjustly treated. The path of the Buddha was a royal road of teaching, helping, and comforting with the truth.


In this coming cycle of humanity, there needs to be a spirituality that fits our minds as well as our hearts. A spirituality that doesn't ask us to abandon wisdom and understanding in favor of rituals, traditions, and routine. I am not asking anyone to abandon a religion, or their lack of religion, if that is helping them and is a blessing to others. But I am asking those that have given up on spirituality because they don't want to give up on reality to consider Buddhism and meditation.


I believe, like Einstein, that Buddhism can allow us to joyfully access the "hidden" spiritual life as we move through a world that will be profoundly changed by science and technology. In the coming decades, what it means to be human will profoundly change. But the truth that, no matter how life evolves, it is all life and we are that life will help us through the future. Buddhism and the path of meditation offers a way of spiritual hope while not abandoning our reasoning, our science, or our technology. In truth, humanity will not abandon science and technology but it doesn't have to abandon the joy of life which is found in the spirituality of having a good heart and a good mind.





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(Islamonline)A Malaysian Islamic court upheld on Monday, March 16, a decision allowing a female convert to return to her original faith, Buddhism, on the basis that she has never been a Muslim.

"She has never followed any aspect of the Islamic teachings and has been living a non-Muslim lifestyle right from the day of her conversion," Penang state Shari`ah Appeal Court Judge Ibrahim Lembut said in a ruling cited by Reuters.

"It is clear from the evidence that she converted to Islam just for the sake of marrying an Iranian man," Ibrahim said.

Siti Fatimah Tan Abdullah, a 39-year-old ethnic Chinese woman formerly known as Tan Ean Huang, converted to Islam in 1998 in order to marry her Muslim Iranian lover.

Non-Muslims must convert before they can legally marry a Muslim in Malaysia, where Muslim Malays form about 60 percent of the 27-million population.

The couple married in 2004, but after a short period she broke up with her husband.

In 2006, she filed a request to return to her original faith, Buddhism, stressing she has never practiced Islam.

In May 2008, a Shari`ah court ruled in her favor but the Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAIPP) appealed.

But the Shari`ah Appeal Court upheld the original verdict.

"She never intended to become a Muslim in the first place," said Judge Ibrahim.

The court ordered the MAIPP to revoke Tan's registration certificate that declared her as a Muslim.

Christians make up around 9.1 percent of the population, including a Catholic population of nearly 800,000.

Buddhists and Hindus constitute 19.2 and 6.3 percent of the population respectively.

Unique

The plaintiff expressed her satisfaction with the court ruling.

"I am very happy that this is finally over," she told reporters outside the court house.

"It has been a long struggle."

The MAIPP also endorsed the ruling, which it said confirmed the status quo in Malaysia, where religious courts operate in parallel to civil courts.

But it stressed that this ruling does not mean any change in the country's ban of Muslim conversion.

"The original decision gave the impression that one could simply convert out of Islam. So now it is clear this is not the case," MAIPP lawyer Ahmad Munawar Abdul Aziz told reporters.

"In this case, the court has made it clear that this was a unique case where her
conversion itself was invalid," he explained.

"So this removes the fear among the Muslim community that conversions may be subject to review."




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(Sri Lanka Guardian)The story of Buddhism might be said to have begun with a loss of innocence. Siddhartha Gautama, a young prince of the Shakhya clan in India, had been raised in a life of royal ease, shielded from the misery and cruelties of the world outside the palace gates, distracted by sensual pleasures and luxurious living. But one day the fateful encounter with the real world occurred, and Siddhartha was shaken to the core.

There in his own kingdom, not far from his gardens and delights, he encountered people suffering from sickness, old age and death; he brooded over these things, deeply disturbed that such was the fate of all beings. Then he encountered an ascetic holy man, a renunciate dedicated to liberation. The prince then undertook the great renunciation, forsaking his family, fortune and kingdom in pursuit of the path of liberation. The central, profound question that burned in Gautama was this: "How may suffering be ended?"

He became a wandering ascetic, practiced yogic disciplines and meditation, studied with various teachers, and attained high states of consciousness; but still he did not find the answer to his question. He practiced severe forms of asceticism, almost to the point of death by starvation, all without gain. Finally he sat under a bodhi tree, determined not to rise from meditation until he had gained the insight he sought. Not long after, he attained enlightenment; he became the Buddha -- the Awakened One. He had ascended through various stages of meditative awareness, he had seen all of his past lives, and he had seen directly into reality, into the nature of existence and the causes of suffering and rebirth. He pondered whether to try to teach these insights, so subtle and difficult to grasp to others; perhaps it would be futile. But finally he decided that at least some of the people would be able to understand; perhaps more importantly, they could be shown the path to arrive at these insights themselves. He gave his first sermon to a few disciples in the Deer park at Benares, and then continued to wander and teach for the next forty-five years, until his death at the age of eighty.

He was born in the 6th century BCE, a time of great turmoil and political change in India; many were unsatisfied with the Vedic religion, and new teachings had emerged, among them the Upanishads. The Buddha stood largely outside the Vedic tradition, criticizing many of its central teachings. Nevertheless, he had been influenced by that tradition and his teachings in turn would have a profound effect on later teachers in the Hindu tradition, such as Shankara; even in such Hindu classics as the Bhagavad Gita, some reaction can be seen to Buddhist teachings. But later centuries would see the Buddha’s influence wane in India and instead spread to other Asian countries. Today Buddhism has spread throughout the world. Various sects have arisen as later teachers have reinterpreted and expounded upon the Buddha’s basic teachings. Buddhism may be considered a religion, a philosophy, a way of life, or all three; here we will deal mainly with Buddhism as a philosophical system.

Buddhist metaphysics

The Buddha’s main concern was to eliminate suffering, to find a cure for the pain of human existence. In this respect he has been compared to a physician, and his teaching has been compared to a medical or psychological prescription. Like a physician, he observed the symptoms -- the disease that human kind was suffering from; next he gave a diagnosis - the cause of the disease; then he gave the prognosis -- it could be cured; finally he gave the prescription -- the method by which the condition could be cured.

His first teaching, the Four Noble Truths, follows this pattern. First, the insight that "life is dukkha." Dukkha is variously translated as suffering, pain, impermanence; it is the unsatisfactory quality of life which is targeted here -- life is often beset with sorrow and trouble, and even at its best, is never completely fulfilling. We always want more happiness, less pain. But this ‘wanting more’ is itself the problem: the second noble truth teaches that the pain of life is caused by ‘tanha’ -- our cravings, our attachments, our selfish grasping after pleasure and avoiding pain. Is there something else possible? The third noble truth says yes; a complete release from attachment and dukkha is possible, a liberation from pain and rebirth. The fourth noble truth tells how to attain this liberation; it describes the Noble Eightfold Path leading to Nirvana, the utter extinction of the pain of existence.

Another main teaching of Buddhist metaphysics is known as the Three Marks of Existence. The first is Anicca, impermanence: all things are transitory, nothing lasts. The second is Anatta, No-Self or No-Soul: human beings, and all of existence, is without a soul or self. There is no eternal, unchanging part of us, like the Hindu idea of Atman; there is no eternal, unchanging aspect of the universe, like the Hindu idea of Brahman. The entire idea of self is seen as an illusion, one which causes immeasurable suffering; this false idea gives rise to the consequent tendency to try to protect the self or ego and to preserve its interests, which is futile since nothing is permanent anyway. The third mark of existence is that of Dukkha, suffering: all of existence, not just human existence but even the highest states of meditation, are forms of suffering, ultimately inadequate and unsatisfactory.

The three marks of existence can be seen as the basis for the four noble truths above; in turn the three marks of existence may be seen to come out of an even more fundamental Buddhist theory, that of Pratityasamutpada: Dependent Origination, or Interdependent Co-arising. This theory says that all things are cause and are caused by other things; all of existence is conditioned, nothing exists independently, and there is no First Cause. There was no beginning to the chain of causality; it is useless to speculate how phenomenal existence started. However, it can be ended, and that is the ultimate goal of Buddhism - the ultimate liberation of all creatures from the pain of existence.

Sometimes this causality is spoken of as a circular linking of twelve different factors; if the chain of causality can be broken, existence is ended and liberation attained. One of these factors is attachment or craving, tanha, and another is ignorance; these two are emphasized as being the weak links in the chain, the place to make a break. To overcome selfish craving, one cultivates the heart through compassion; to eliminate ignorance one cultivates the mind through wisdom. Compassion and wisdom are twin virtues in Buddhism, and are cultured by ethical behavior and meditation, respectively. It is a process of self-discipline and self-development which emphasizes the heart and mind equally, and insists that both working together are necessary for enlightenment.

If Buddhism can be seen as a process of personal development, one may well ask: what is a person, if not a soul or self? In keeping with the ideas of dependent origination, Buddhism views a person as a changing configuration of five factors, or ‘skandhas.’ First there is the world of physical form; the body and all material objects, including the sense organs. Second there is the factor of sensation or feeling; here are found the five senses as well as mind, which in Buddhism is considered a sense organ. The mind senses thoughts and ideas much the same as the eye senses light or the ear senses air pressure. Thirdly, there is the factor of perception; here is the faculty which recognizes physical and mental objects. Fourth there is the factor variously called impulses or mental formulations; here is volition and attention, the faculty of will, the force of habits. Lastly, there is the faculty of consciousness or awareness. In Buddhism consciousness is not something apart from the other factors, but rather interacting with them and dependent on them for its existence; there is no arising of consciousness without conditions. Here we see no idea of personhood as constancy, but rather a fleeting, changing assortment or process of various interacting factors. A major aim of Buddhism is first to become aware of this process, and then to eliminate it by eradicating its causes.

This process does not terminate with the dissolution of the physical body upon death; Buddhism assumes reincarnation. Even though there is no soul to continue after death, the five skandhas are seen as continuing on, powered by past karma, and resulting in rebirth. Karma in Buddhism, as in Hinduism, stems from volitional action and results in good or bad effects in this or a future life. Buddhism explains the karmic mechanism a bit differently; it is not the results of the action per se that result in karma, but rather the state of mind of the person performing the action. Here again, Buddhism tends to focus on psychological insights; the problem with bad or selfish action is that it molds our personality, creates ruts or habitual patterns of thinking and feeling. These patterns in turn result in the effects of karma in our lives.

Many other metaphysical questions were put to the Buddha during his life; he did not answer them all. He eschewed the more abstract and speculative metaphysical pondering, and discouraged such questions as hindrances on the path. Such questions as what is Nirvana like, what preceded existence, etc., were often met by silence or what may have seemed like mysterious obscurity. Asked what happens to an Arhant, an enlightened one, upon his death, the Buddha was said to have replied: "What happens to the footprints of the birds in the air." Nirvana means ‘extinction’ and he likened the death of an arhant to the extinction of a flame when the fuel (karma) runs out. He evidently felt that many such questions were arising out of a false attachment to self, and that they distracted one from the main business of eliminating suffering.

The Path to Liberation: the Buddhist Way of Life

The Buddha intended his philosophy to be a practical one, aimed at the happiness of all creatures. While he outlined his metaphysics, he did not expect anyone to accept this on faith but rather to verify the insights for themselves; his emphasis was always on seeing clearly and understanding. To achieve this, however, requires a disciplined life and a clear commitment to liberation; the Buddha laid out a clear path to the goal and also observations on how to live life wisely. The core of this teaching is contained in the Noble Eightfold Path, which covers the three essential areas of Buddhist practice: ethical conduct, mental discipline (‘concentration; or ‘meditation’), and wisdom. The goals are to cultivate both wisdom and compassion; then these qualities together will enable one ultimately to attain enlightenment.

The path is laid out in eight steps, but one may practice all of the steps simultaneously, since they work together.

The first two steps or factors constitute Wisdom. Right understanding (or right views) is the grasping of true reality, as seen in the Buddhist teachings; it is not merely an intellectual understanding, although this helps. Rather it is a direct insight and penetration into the nature of things. Right thought (or right intentions) is that frame of mind which is selfless, detached and free of malice; that generosity of spirit which extends loving benevolence to all beings.

The next three steps on the eightfold path constitute ethical conduct. Right speech involves abstaining from lies, from rude or malicious language, from foolish gossip, and from slander or backbiting that may cause disharmony. One should speak a gentle, kind, and useful truth, or not speak at all. Right action requires abstaining from killing and all violence, stealing, dishonest practices, intoxicating drinks and improper sexual behavior. Right livelihood means that one should abstain from any profession that brings harm to others, such as weaponry, butchering animals or selling liquor. Also one’s career should develop one’s talents, overcome the ego by joining in a common cause, and provide what is needed for a worthwhile existence -- basic comforts and necessities, but not ostentatious luxuries.

The last three steps on the path are those which promote mental discipline. Right effort is the will to cultivate wholesome states of mind and eliminate evil or unwanted ones. Right mindfulness (or attentiveness) involves being keenly aware of the processes involved in one’s daily existence, those of the body, the sensations, the mind and the experiencing of thoughts and ideas. Mindfulness is practiced in Buddhist forms of meditation such as vipassana, through techniques like observation of the breath and bodily sensations. Right concentration refers to the progressive stages of dhyana (this is closer to what is called meditation in most Hindu traditions). In this discipline, the mind is gradually cleared of passionate desires, then thoughts, then finally even feelings of joy, until only pure awareness remains, in a state of perfect calm and equanimity.

Other teachings speak of the Four Friends and the Five Hindrances that one encounters along the path; these are qualities in the heart which may aid or distract one from the process. The four friends are: loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. Loving kindness is universal love for all beings, without distinction. Compassion is the ability to empathize with others -- to feel what they are feeling. Sympathetic joy is the quality that takes delight in the happiness of others. Equanimity is a calm acceptance of all that happens, based on the insight of the impermanence of all things; in the end, the only thing that really matters is liberation, so the vicissitudes of life don’t really have much significance.

The five hindrances are: sensual desire; ill will; sloth and torpor; restlessness and worry, or distraction; and skeptical doubt. Everyone has these hindrances in common, so it is important to find ways of eliminating them; they are like toxins or weeds which prevent the cultivation of those qualities essential for self-discipline and stand in the way of our liberation.

The Buddha’s teachings on ethics and living a good life also extended to the realm of the social and political. He was ahead of his time in many ways; considering all people as equal, he rejected the caste system and openly encouraged women to become students and teachers. He taught that governments had a responsibility to lead by example, to teach people ethics and to eliminate poverty by providing opportunities for the people to become prosperous. He was clearly opposed to all forms of war, and taught that violence can never create security. In keeping with these teachings, Buddhism is rare among world religions in that its followers never attempted to spread their beliefs through the use of force. Unique among victorious leaders, the Buddhist emperor Asoka in the third century BCE renounced violence and war, and put Buddhist ethical virtues at the center of his government.

Regarding the Buddhist path as a philosophy, one may consider its epistemology: certain claims of knowledge have been made, but how can they be known to be true? As stated above, the Buddha himself never asked anyone to accept unproven claims on faith, and in fact discouraged them from doing so. He maintained that his teachings could be verified by direct insight and reasoning, by anyone willing to consider them and to follow the necessary path of self-discipline. Starting from a few basic assumptions, such as impermanence and dependent origination, he derived a complex and consistent system of philosophy which has stood for centuries. Later teachers have validated his claim that others could reach the same insights, and they have expanded upon his basic teachings with impressive intuitive depth and intellectual rigor.

In this way the Buddhist teaching has itself become a kind of interactive and self-evolving process, much like its idea of pratityasamutpada. However, the end goal is still Nirvana, which is an experience ultimately beyond all concepts and language, even beyond the Buddhist teachings. In the end even the attachment to the Dharma, the Buddhist teaching, must be dropped like all other attachments. The tradition compares the teaching to a raft upon which one crosses a swift river to get to the other side; once one is on the far shore, there is no longer any need to carry the raft. The far shore is Nirvana, and it is also said that when one arrives, one can see quite clearly that there was never any river at all.

Buddhist students shout slogans during a protest outside a hip French lounge chain Buddha Bar in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, 5 March 2009. (Photo courtesy: AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)

(Jakarta Post) A group of Buddhists plan to hold another in front of the Buddha-Bar club at Jl. Teuku Umar in Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Saturday morning, in protest against the French franchise management's use of Buddhist attributes.

Jakarta Police said Thursday the protest was planned by Buddhists Council of Greater Jakarta.

The protest will be latest one against the club establishment in the past week.

Last week, a group of Buddhist student blasted the club's ” inappropriate use of a religious icon to name an entertainment place that sells liquor.”

Earlier this week, Religious Affairs Minister M. Maftuh Basyuni has urged authorities to shut down the club, as well as other similar clubs using names linked with religion, saying it could offend religious followers.

Indonesia Corruption Watch, questioning the legality of the establishment, had urged the Jakarta administration to clarify the ownership status of the restored building in Central Jakarta being used for the club.

The building was constructed in 1913 during the Dutch colonial period, serving as the Dutch-Indies Art center (Nederlandsch-Indische Kunstkring) before it was taken by the Indonesian government to be used as the Central Jakarta immigration office in 1945.

In 2002, the city administration spent Rp 28 billion (US$2.3 million) to repurchase the old immigration office, and poured an additional Rp 6.1 billion into restoring it by 2005.

The government then formed a working agreement with PT Niresta Vista Creative, which later bought the French franchise, to manage the building.

The building is now used for a club run by the daughter of former Jakarta governor Sutiyoso who had initially approved its purchase and renovation.

By Shelton A. Gunaratne
examines Buddhist interpretation

(Sri Lanka Guardian) [Elaborating on his essay titled “Globalization: A Non-Western Perspective: The Bias of Social Science/Communication Oligopoly” published in the current issue of Communication, Culture & Critique (Vol.2 No.1), Gunaratne says that from the Theravada Buddhist perspective, globalization

• has been going on ever since our globe came into being
• is an integral component of the doctrine of anicca (impermanence/change)
• connotes every dimension of the biosphere, not just the concerns of human beings
• reflects the dhukka (unsatisfactoriness) co-arising with anatta (no-selfness/ interdependence)
• is the equivalent of samsara (cycle of becoming) at a given point in time]
______________________

The Buddhist view of globalization is very different from what the contemporary Western scholars profess it to be.

When the current debate on globalization began in the 1960s, the Western oligopoly of social science journals treated it as a new development. Heavily influenced by the works of sociologists like Max Weber and philosophers like Friedrich Hegel, the scholars who wrote to these journals and wrote ‘authoritative’ books were oblivious to the perspectives of Eastern thought or debunked them as metaphysics.

These Eurocentric scholars did not realize they were re-inventing the wheel when they ‘discovered’ globalization as a new topic for investigation. Among them, the Orientalists wanted to uphold Western thought and put down the non-Western while the others were only marginally ‘educated’ on non-Western thought, They were unable to separate Buddha’s own philosophy from the populist traditions of Buddhist ‘religion.’ Therefore, they rarely analyzed the Buddha’s teachings as a source for social science.

The movement toward postdisciplinarity—the simultaneous investigation of issues from all disciplinary angles—has called on scholars, as well as journalists, to look at the cosmos/world as a ‘cooperative.’ Our globe is a cooperative network within the hierarchical level of planetary systems located below the hierarchical level of galaxies. Although Buddhist metaphysics (ontocosmology) recognizes these hierarchies, which affect the operation of one another, Buddha’s primary concern was to explain samsara (cycle of becoming) in terms of the three features of existence—dhukka, anatta, and anicca—that encompassed all living beings, not just the human species.

First, the Buddhist view is that globalization has been going on ever since our globe came into being 4.55 billion years ago. This happened when the solar system surrounding our sun, a second-generation star, came into being. Since the Big Bang took place 13.7 billion years ago, we can confidently assert that process of universalization preceded globalization by 9.15 billion years. In contrast, the contemporary (Western) concept of globalization is a very recent phenomenon traceable to the construction of a sophisticated Global Information Infrastructure.
Second, Buddhism sees globalization as an integral component of the doctrine of anicca (impermanence/change). Globalization is an ongoing dynamic process, which occurs as a result of the mutual interconnection, interaction, and interdependence of all global/universal elements with one another. This mutual causality is the reason for anicca. Concepts such as permanence, independence and autonomy are supreme myths although a case can be made to recognize the relative speed of change of different types of elements. The proclivity of Western empiricist scholars to predict outcomes based on linear relationships between so-called independent and dependent variables has produced tomes of worthless data. Darwin’s theory of evolution was another re-invention of the wheel because the Buddhist theory of anicca already contained the rudiments of evolutionary theory.

Third, the Buddhist theory of globalization connotes every dimension of the biosphere, not just what Sheila Croucher describes as "a cluster of related changes [not limited to economic, technological, cultural, and political realms] that are increasing the interconnectedness of the world." Modern physics attests that electro-magnetism, gravity, and strong and weak forces interconnect everything and everyone in the world/universe we inhabit. In contrast, the contemporary (Western) theory of globalization is highly anthropocentric because it looks at ‘increasing interconnectedness’ of the human species alone. Because the Buddhist definition of society includes all living beings, it places supreme importance on dealing with environmental concerns. Thus, Buddhism endorses the study of how human activities could interfere with resident bird migration patterns over long geographical distances. Because more than 7,200 animal species and 8,300 plant species are currently threatened with extinction, the Buddhist approach to globalization will enable us to detect their deleterious effects globally. One might even argue that some species of birds have been more ‘globalized’ than the human species.

Fourth, the Buddhist view of globalization reflects the co-arising operational mechanism of dhukka (unsatisfactoriness) and anatta (no-selfness/ interdependence). These two features of existence co-evolve with their counterpart anicca (impermanence/ change) to form the ti-lakkhana (three features of exixtence). Their mutual interaction could engender an unjust or a just society or something in-between. The 12 conditional factors—craving, grasping, contact, feeling, senses, ignorance, volitional formations, becoming, birth, decay-and death, and name-and form—entice living beings to hang on to various forms of matter/energy and information, which make up the entire world/universe. One indicator of this is ceaseless accumulation in capitalist systems and the immeasurable unsatisfactoriness it creates through cyclical recessions and depressions. Because of anicca, it is impossible for living beings to grasp on to what they crave. The result is dukkha. Moreover, because everything and everyone is interconnected and interdependent, all represent anatta (no-self)—another reason that engenders unsatisfactoriness.

Finally, one can surmise that the Buddhist concept of globalization is the equivalent of samsara (cycle of becoming) at a given point in time. The ultimate result of the interaction of all elements in the global/universal system is the reproduction of that system with varying degrees of ongoing minor changes and cyclical major changes. Samsara is nothing but the interconnected/ interdependent world/universe wherein all its constituent elements bar two go through the cycle of birth, growth, and death. The exceptions are matter/energy and consciousness, which have co-existed, co-exist, and will co-exist for ever. Once a universe itself has gone through the cycles of birth, evolution, and death, these two elements remain in pure potentiality ready to give birth to another cyclic universe.

The writer is professor of mass communications emeritus at Minnesota State University Moorhead

By Grant Lawrence


I am all for being positive. But at first glance President Obama's remarks in his weekly radio address that we can "discover great opportunity in the midst of great crisis" seems that he is something of a Pollyanna.


After all we are getting news of growing tent cities, the stock market collapse,troubled banks, massive unemployment, and then there is the recent story of 700 applicants applying for one school janitor's job in Ohio.


But if we really consider what the President is saying, he is right. There can be tremendous opportunity for a real change in this country in the midst of the massive collapse. But, unfortunately, the President has decided to adopt Bush's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has also decided to adopt the strategy of continuing bailing out a failed banking system.

By Grant Lawrence

Gorbachev on the worldwide economic meltdown:

Gorbachev seemed to view the global meltdown as partly the result of years of Western hubris and excess. "The American media trumpeted ... about the victory in the Cold War, that socialism is down.



This disease of extreme self-confidence led to it -- the [belief] that things would always go on this way. ... I think that now everyone is learning a hard lesson. ... It is necessary to overcome these mistakes of super-consumerism, of super-profits." The answer? A composite system that incorporates "the past experience of all that the capitalist system brings, like competitiveness, and what socialism gives -- especially a social safety net."

Mikhail Gorbachev, 78, the last leader of the Soviet Union, was interviewed recently by Associated Press reporter Dan Perry
Before the fall of the Soviet Union, Michail Gorbachev tried to remake the Soviet System into something humane, resembling the Nordic model of Socialism. Unfortunately, it didn't work and the Soviet Empire crumbled just as it seems our Globalist Empire is about to collapse.

After the Soviet collapse, Russia was left with a wrecked economy in which the Oligarchs made their move to take total control. Eastern Europe was united around the false promise of capitalism and is presently suffering for their delusions.

I think Gorbachev's vision for a workable economy and society presently has much to offer mankind. A society in which there are social safety nets and worker protections but that still allows for some competition and wealth creation. This is a middle way that avoids the extremes of fantastic wealth creation for a very tiny few and the exploitation of billions. It is also a middle way that avoids total state control and suppression of individuals and their human economic activity.

The "Middle Way" is something the Buddha endorsed well over 2000 years ago. He talked about avoiding the extremes of sensuality and austerities when it comes to human development, attaining wisdom, and enlightenment.

Societies as well as individual beings are systems.

It makes perfect sense to apply Gorbachev's economic "Middle Way" philosophy for the benefit and well being of a societal system just as it makes perfect sense to apply the Buddha's "Middle Way" path for the benefit and well being of a system known as an individual person.

A systemic approach to human development and activities offers us greater understanding of the way things actually function and in what way they function for the best. Following the Middle Way path of avoiding extremes doesn't mean that there will never be imbalances in a system, but it does mean that one part of that system will not be allowed to totally exploit and abuse the rest of the system until that system collapses. Instead, a Middle Way Path allows for a system, human or societal, to live in some sort of homeostasis.

Both the Gorbachev and the Buddha have mapped out a Middle Way that can be be applied to human development and human relationships for the benefit of humanity. is really serious about finding opportunity in a crisis then he will need to do more than tweak a failed economic and war policy. He will need to do more than give hopeful speeches.


Instead it is time for bold moves to come from the President and Congress on health care, the economy, and on foreign policy.

The President is obviously a good speaker and a very intelligent person. But unless the President really does capture this "Great Opportunity" for real change the force of events will make him powerless and virtually meaningless.

Burmese momks demonstrated in front of Burmese Embassy in Sri Lanka, 2007



By Ashin Mettacara

Myanmar Student Monks Association in Sri Lanka has planned to hold the ceremony of recitation of Patthana texts on March 10. More than 30 Buddhist monks will recite Patthana texts non-stop for 24 hours.

The event will be hosted by the historic Sithulpawawa Monastery in Southern Sri Lanka, a Buddhist Temple where thousands of meditating Buddhist monks lived during 1st Century AD.

"We will recite the Patthana texts for protection from all dangers, for the freedom of all political prisoners including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and for the betterment of the people of Burma," said the leader monk Ven. Obhasa.


Myanmar Student Monks Association, also known as Lanka-MSMA, founded on 27 September 2007 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, aims to unite the Burmese people and strive for the preservation of their culture by calling for more human rights and fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of religion.

Buddha Bar Not to Buddhists Liking

By Markus Junianto Sihaloho,

Jakarta Glove

The exclusive Buddha Bar in Central Jakarta, part-owned by the daughter of former President Megawati Sukarnoputri, has been labelled sacrilegious by the Indonesian Buddhist Student Association.



Association chairman Eko Nugroho told the Jakarta Globe on Sunday that the new bar and restaurant in Menteng violated laws related to insulting religions and should be shut down.

Eko said that a number of Buddhist organizations in Indonesia had filed official complaints about the name with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism.

He said the Jakarta administration should have considered the law regarding the misuse of religious symbols before issuing permits for the restaurant.

“We urge local governments in Jakarta to take strong action against the new bar to avoid angering Buddhists,” he said.

He said the bar was owned by Megawati’s daughter, Puan Maharani, the heir apparent to the Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, and Renny Sutiyoso, the daughter of presidential aspirant and former Jakarta governor, Sutiyoso.

Eko said that other student religious groups would support their association and it would file a class-action lawsuit against the city administration.

“We are also considering filing a class-action suit against the central government for its failure to follow the Constitution, under which Buddhism is protected,” he said.

He said that all parties related to the Buddha Bar establishment should have understood that Buddha was the highest-rank spiritual teacher for Buddhists.

“A Buddhist would never permit anyone to take Buddha’s name for commercial use,” he said.

He said that the bar owners should respect Buddhism and its universal values and as a religion that is protected by Indonesian’s Constitution.

“We are still arranging and collecting sufficient documents necessary to sue the owners, which we will soon do with the East Jakarta District Court,” Eko said.

According to bar’s official Web site, Jakarta was the first city in Asia to host the Buddha Bar, which was originally established in Paris in 1996. Other franchises are based in London, New York, Dubai, Sao Paulo, Kiev, Cairo and Beirut.

However, Eko said that that fact could not be used as justification to open a new Buddha Bar in Jakarta, saying that the governments of Singapore and Thailand had refused to issue licenses for Buddha Bars in their countries.

(Xinhua) -- An International Theravada Buddhist universities conference will be held at the Sitagu International Buddhists Academy in Sagaing, northwestern division of Myanmar, executive secretary of the Association of Theravada Buddhist Universities (ATBU) Vulnerable Dr. Khammai Dhammasami told the press Monday.

At the second biennial conference, which will last from March 5to 8, about 70 papers relating to engaged Buddhism, religious teachings in Theravada Buddhist countries, monasticism in Theravada countries, and Pali literature since the 19th century will be presented mainly in English and Pali languages for discussion.

According to the executive secretary, 290 representatives from 30 universities and colleges from 11 countries including observers from seven other countries as well as 300 domestic monks and nuns are expected to attend the session.

These countries include Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, Argentina, Uganda, Jamaica, Nepal and host Myanmar.

The conference is aimed at building a network of Theravada Buddhists and intellectuals from across the world to enable cooperation in religious teachings and education and disseminate Buddhist laws to the world, he said.

The first conference of its kind was also held in Myanmar's Bagan Popa resort, in which representatives of Theravada Buddhist universities and colleges from 13 countries attended, followed by the establishment of ATBU.

The forthcoming international Theravada Buddhist universities conference came more than four years after the World Buddhist Summit, sponsored by Myanmar for the first time, took place at the Maha Pasana Cave in Yangon in December 2004 to promote and propagate Buddhism.

Buddhism stands one of the four main historical religions of the world with over 360 million followers. Myanmar is a country with a majority of its population (about 80 percent) believing in Buddhism. It is estimated that there are over 420,000 monks and over 60,000 nuns within nine sects in Myanmar which have been unified at different levels under the leadership of the government's religious committee.

For nearly 1,000 years, the country has kept Theravada Buddhismpure and intact. Buddhist scripture learning centers and other monastic education schools were set up here long ago.

There are five Theravada Buddhist universities and institutes in Myanmar -- four in Yangon, one in Mandalay and one in Sagaing.

By Sister Ayya Khema

To have an ambition seems to be a natural phenomenon in the human make-up. Some people want to be rich, powerful or famous. Some want to be very knowledgeable, to get degrees. Some just want to find a little niche for themselves where they can look out of the window and see the same scenery every day. Some want to find a perfect partner, or as near perfect as possible.

Even when we are not living in the world, but in a nunnery, we have ambitions: to become excellent meditators, to be perfectly peaceful, that this life-style should yield results. There's always something to hope for. Why is that? Because it's in the future, never in the present.

Instead of being attentive to what is now, we are hoping for something better to come, maybe tomorrow. Then, when tomorrow arrives, it has to be the next day again, because it still wasn't perfect enough. If we were to change this pattern in our thinking habits and rather become attentive to what is, then we would find something to satisfy us. But when we are looking at that which doesn't exist yet, more perfect, more wonderful, more satisfying, then we can't find anything at all, because we are looking for that which isn't there.

The Buddha spoke about two kinds of people, the ordinary worldling (puthujjana) and the noble person (ariya). Obviously it is a worthwhile ambition to become a noble person, but if we keep looking for it at some future time, then it will escape us. The difference between a noble one and a worldling is the experience of "path and fruit" (magga-phala). The first moment of this supermundane consciousness is termed Stream-entry (sotapatti) and the person who experiences it is a Stream-winner (sotapanna).

If we put that into our mind as a goal in the future, it will not come about, because we are not using all our energy and strength to recognise each moment. Only in the recognition of each moment can a path moment occur.

The distinguishing factor between a worldling and a noble one is the elimination of the first three fetters binding us to continuous existence. These three, obstructing the worldling, are: wrong view of self, sceptical doubt and belief in rites and rituals, (sakkayaditthi, vicikiccha and silabbatta-paramasa). Anyone who is not a Stream-winner is chained to these three wrong beliefs and reactions that lead away from freedom into bondage.

Let's take a look at sceptical doubt first. It's that niggling thought in the back of the mind: "There must be an easier way," or "I'm sure I can find happiness somewhere in this wide world." As long as there's doubt that the path of liberation leads out of the world, and the belief is there that satisfaction can be found within the world, there is no chance of noble attainment, because one is looking in the wrong direction. Within this world with its people and things, animals and possessions, scenery and sense contacts, there is nothing to be found other than that which we already know. If there were more, why isn't it easily discernible, why haven't we found it? It should be quite plain to see. What are we looking for then?

Obviously we are looking for happiness and peace, just like everyone else is doing. Sceptical doubt, that alarmist, says: "I'm sure if I just handled it a little cleverer than I did last time I'll be happy. There are a few things I haven't tried yet." Maybe we haven't flown our own plane yet, or lived in a cave in the Himalayas or sailed around the world, or written that best-selling novel. All of these are splendid things to do in the world except they are a waste of time and energy.

Sceptical doubt makes itself felt when one isn't quite sure what one's next move should be. "Where am I going, what am I to do?" One hasn't found a direction yet. Sceptical doubt is the fetter in the mind when the clarity which comes from a path moment is absent. The consciousness arising at that time removes all doubt, because one has experienced the proof oneself. When we bite into the mango, we know its taste.

The wrong view of self is the most damaging fetter that besets the ordinary person. It contains the deeply imbedded "this is me" notion. Maybe it's not even "my" body, but there is "someone" who is meditating. This "someone" wants to get enlightened, wants to become a Stream-winner, wants to be happy. This wrong view of self is the cause of all problems that could possibly arise.

As long as there's "somebody" there, that person can have problems. When there's nobody there, who could have difficulties? Wrong view of self is the root which generates all subsequent pain, grief and lamentation. With it also come the fears and worries: "Am I going to be alright, happy, peaceful, find what I am looking for, get what I want, be healthy, wealthy and wise?" These worries and fears are well substantiated from one's own past. One hasn't always been healthy, wealthy and wise, nor gotten what one wanted, nor felt wonderful. So there's very good reason to be worried and fearful as long as wrong view of self prevails.

Rites and rituals in themselves are not harmful, only believing them to be part of the path to Nibbana is detrimental. They need not even be religious, although we usually think of them like that. Such as offering flowers and incense on a shrine, prostrating or celebrating certain festivals and believing that this will accumulate enough merit to go to the Deva realms. It's devotion, respect and gratitude to the Triple Gem, [*] which count. But this belief is not only confined to religious activities. Everybody lives with rites and rituals, even though we may not be aware of them. In human relationships there are certain prescribed ways of acting in respect to one's parents, one's children, one's partners. How one relates in one's job, to friends and strangers, how one wants to be confirmed by others, all is connected to preconceived ideas of what is right and proper in a certain culture and tradition. None of it has any basic truth in it, all is mind- made. The more ideas one has, the less one can see reality. The more one believes in them the harder it is to abandon them. As one imagines oneself to be a certain kind of person, one relates in that way in all situations. It doesn't have to be how we put flowers on a shrine, it can also be how we greet people, if we do it according to a certain stereotyped ritual and not the way an open heart and mind may dictate.

* [Triple Gem - Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha.]

These three obstructions fall away when a path and fruit moment has been experienced. There's a marked change in such a person, which is - of course - not externally visible. It would be nice to wear a halo and look blissful. But the inner change is firstly that the experience leaves absolutely no doubt what has to be done in this life. The event is totally different from anything previously known, so much so, that it makes one's former life, up to that point, immaterial. Nothing can be found in the past which has fundamental importance. The only significance lies in going ahead with the practice so that this minimal experience of the first path moment can be fortified, resurrected and firmly established in oneself.

The path and fruit moments recur for the Once-returner (sakadagami), the Non-returner (anagami) and the Enlightened One (Arahant). Each time they are not only deepened, but can be lengthened. One could compare this to having examinations at the university. If one is going through four years of university study to get a certain degree, one has to pass examinations at the end of each year. One has to answer questions each time, based on one's previously absorbed knowledge. But the questions become deeper, more profound and more difficult with each subsequent examination. While they are always concerned with the same subject, they require more depth and profundity of understanding each time. Until one finally graduates and doesn't have to return to university. It's the same with our spiritual development. Each path moment is based on the previous one and is concerned with the same subject, yet it goes deeper and further. Until one passes one's final test and need not return again.

The path moment doesn't have any thinking or feeling in it. It is not comparable to the meditative absorptions (jhana). Although it is based upon them because only the concentrated mind can enter into a path moment, it does not have the same qualities. the meditative absorptions have -in their initial stages - the ingredients of rapture, happiness and peacefulness. Later on, the mind experiences expansion, nothingness and a change of perception. The path moment does not contain any of these states of mind.

It has a quality of non-being. This is such a relief and changes one's world view so totally that it is quite understandable that the Buddha made such a distinction between a worldling and a Noble One. While the meditative absorptions bring with them a feeling of oneness, of unity, the path moment does not even contain that. The moment of fruition, subsequent to the path moment, is the understood experience and results in a turned-around vision of existence.

The new understanding recognises every thought, every feeling as stress (dukkha). The most elevated thought, the most sublime feeling still has this quality. Only when there is nothing, is there no stress. There is nothing internal or external that contains the quality of total satisfactoriness. Because of such an inner vision, the passion for wanting anything is discarded. All has been seen for what it really is and nothing can give the happiness that arises through the practice of the path and its results.

The Nibbanic element cannot be truly described as bliss, because bliss has a connotation of exhilaration. We use the word "bliss" for the meditative absorption, where it includes a sense of excitement. The Nibbanic element does not recognise bliss because all that arises is seen as stress. "The bliss of Nibanna" may give one the impression that one may find perfect happiness, but the opposite is true. One finds that there is nothing and therefore no more unhappiness, only peace.

To look for path and fruit will not bring them about, because only moment to moment awareness can do so. This awareness will eventually culminate in real concentration where one can let go of thinking and be totally absorbed. We can drop the meditation subject at that time. We need not push it aside, it falls away of its own accord, and absorption in awareness occurs. If there has to be an ambition in one's life, this is the only worthwhile one. All others will not bring fulfilment.

One doesn't have to force oneself to give up sceptical doubt. What is there to doubt when one has experienced the truth? If one hits oneself with a hammer, one feels pain and cannot doubt it. One knows from one's own experience.

Rites and rituals are brought to an interesting end because the person who has experienced a path moment will under no circumstance indulge in any role-playing. All roles are the ingredients of unreality. One may continue religious rites, because they contain aspects of respect, gratitude and devotion. But there will not be any rituals in how to relate to people or to situations or how to invent stories about oneself because the response is with a spontaneous open heart.

Letting go of the wrong view of self is -of course - the most profound change, causing all other changes. For the Stream-winner the wrong view of self can never intellectually arise again, but feeling-wise it can, because the path moment has been so fleeting. It hasn't made the complete impact yet. If it had done so, it would have resulted in Enlightenment. This is possible and is mentioned in the Buddha's discourses as having happened during his lifetime. All four stages of holiness were realised while listening to the Dhamma.

The initial fruit moment needs to be re-lived, one has to resurrect it over and over again, until the second path moment can arise. It's like repeating what one knows and not forgetting so that one can build upon it.

It is very useful to remind oneself in all waking moments that body, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness are all impermanent and have no core substance, changing from moment to moment. Whether one has had a direct vision of non-self (anatta) or just an understanding of it, either way one has to bring it back into one's mind and re-live it as often as possible. As we continue to do this, ordinary problems arise less and less. If we remain aware of the impermanence of all that exists, our difficulties seem far less important and the view of self subtly changes.

The view we have of ourselves is our worst enemy. Everyone has made up a persona, a mask that one wears and we don't want to see what's behind it. We don't allow anyone else to look either. After having had a path moment, that is no longer possible. But the mask, fear and rejection come to the fore. The best antidote is to remember again and again, that there's really nobody there, only phenomena, nothing more. Even though the inner vision may not be concrete enough to substantiate such a claim, the affirmation helps to loosen the grasping and clinging and to hang on a little less tightly.

The direction of the practice is certainly towards Stream-entry. However, there is nothing to get, there's everything to give up. Unless that is done, the moment cannot happen, and we will continue to live in the same way we always have. Beset by dukkha obstructed by dukkha, subject to praise and blame, loss and gain, fame and ill-fame, happiness and unhappiness. The usual problems -all caused by "self" - will arise again and again. The real change comes when there is a decisive alteration in the way we view ourselves, otherwise the difficulties remain the same because the same identical person is generating them.

Being mindfully aware in and out of meditation is the practice which will bring results. It means doing one thing at a time, attentive to mind and body. When listening to Dhamma, only listen. When sitting in meditation, only attending to the meditation subject. When planting a tree, only planting. No frills, no judgements. That habituates the mind to be in each moment. Only in such a way can a path moment occur. It's not in the distant future, it's possible here and now. There's no reason why an intelligent, healthy, committed person should not be able to attain it with patience and perseverance.

We have heard about disenchantment and dispassion as steps on the path to liberation and freedom. They cannot have meaning and impact unless there is a vision of a totally different reality, one which does not contain the world's manifoldness. When one sits in meditation and starts thinking, that's the temptation of diversification and expansion (papanca). The Nibbana element is one, not manifold. One could say that it's empty of all that we know. Until that is seen, the world will keep calling, but we need not believe it all. It is a difficult task. So one has to remind oneself often, otherwise one gets caught by temptation. One should not be surprised when one doesn't find happiness; manifoldness, diversification cannot create happiness, only distraction.

Certainly one can experience pleasure from the senses. If one has good karma there will be many occasions. Good food, beautiful scenery, pleasant people, good music, interesting books, a comfortable home, not too much physical discomfort. But do these bring fulfilment? Since it didn't happen in the past, why should it occur in the future? Path and fruit bring fulfilment because they are empty of phenomena. Emptiness does not change nor does it become unpleasant and it cannot lack peace, since there is nothing to disturb it.

When people hear or read about Nibbana, they are apt to say: "How can I want nothing?" When one has seen that everything one can possibly want is meant to fill an inner void and dissatisfaction, then the time has come to want nothing. This goes beyond "not wanting" because one now accepts the reality that there is nothing worthwhile to be had. Not wanting anything will make it possible to experience that there is actually nothing — only peace and quiet.

About Writer: Ayya Khema was born in Berlin in 1923 to Jewish parents. In 1938, she escaped from Germany with two hundred other children and was taken to Glasgow, Scotland. Her parents went to China and, two years later Ayya Khema joined then in Shanghai. With the outbreak of the war, however, the family was put into a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp and it was here her father died. She later married, had a son and a daughter, and now has four grand-children.Ayya Khema ordained Ven. Sister Sangamitta from Switzerland (now practising in Thailand) Ven. Sister Dhammadina a graduate of Peradeniya University, Ven. Sister Vayama from Australia and Ven. Sister Uttpalvanna of Galle and her pupils in Sri Lanka. Ayya Khema drew her last breath on November 2, 1997 at Buddha Haus, Mittleberg Uttenbull in Germany after a brief illness. "May she be liberated and attain the Highest Bliss."

Religion cannot be separated from politics; what did the Buddha say about Political Involvement?

Saffron Revolution led by the Buddhist monks in Burma,2007

By Ashin Metacarra

Allow me to discuss with the reader the subject of the Buddha and His views on politics. Being a Buddhist monk, I will try to illuminate you on the right way of life and the best kind of political involvement, according to Buddha's teaching. These teachings are not only for Buddhists, but also for all non-Buddhists: for everyone.
What does “Buddhist” mean? The best answer is that those who are practicing and living in accordance with the Buddha's teachings are Buddhists, because practice is much appreciated by the Buddha. Then, what are the teachings of the Buddha? The rudimentary and shortest answer is that we must always endeavor to do good and kindness, rather than doing evil and harm to others.
Obviously, no one could ever conclude that the current rulers of Myanmar are Buddhists. They have attached their names in name only, to affiliate with Buddhists, in order to rule the country. They essentially tried to become Buddhists without knowing any teachings of the Buddha. These generals are surviving on truly ignorant and blind faith. The true Buddhist must be a self-learner and must continually practice to achieve the highest liberation (nirvana).
Politics and political matters in Buddhism are considered worldly concerns, yes. But the Buddha did not ignore such worldly concerns, because as a Prince estranged and removed from his prior worldly concerns, still He was living in society. Alms food comes from vast numbers of people constituting society. So should not we work to elevate society to evolve into a higher form, to be more effective and more just? The monks were also told by the Buddha to work for the good of many, for the benefit of all beings and for the betterment of society. The intent behind the founding of the community of monks (Sangha in Pali, Pali being the original language of the Buddha) was entirely for the benefit of the people.
In the life of Buddha, we find that the Buddha often discussed politics with the rulers of realms in his time, such as King Mala, King Kosala , King Licchavi and King Ajatasattu . The Buddha always preached the kings that they must rule their kingdoms with dasarajadhamma. The dasarajadamma in Pali is based on ten precepts, in order for the king to best rule the country. They are: (1) be liberal and avoid selfishness, (2) maintain a high moral character, (3) be prepared to sacrifice one's own pleasure for the well-being of the subjects, (4) be honest and maintain absolute integrity, (5) be kind and gentle, (6) lead a simple life for the subjects to emulate, (7) be free from hatred of any kind, (8) exercise non-violence, (9) practice patience, and (10) respect public opinion to promote peace and harmony. Any government who wishes to peacefully rule any nation can effectively apply these 10 precepts even today; they haven’t yet and never will “go out of date.”
The Buddha preached non-violence and peace as a universal message. He did not approve of violence or the destruction of life, and declared that there is no such thing as a 'just' war. From his own words, He taught: “The victor breeds hatred; the defeated lives in misery. He who renounces both victory and defeat is happy and peaceful.”
Not only did the Buddha teach non-violence and peace: He was perhaps the first and only religious teacher who went to the battlefield personally to prevent the outbreak of a war, when He diffused tension between the Sakyas and the Koliyas who were about to wage war over the waters of Rohini River. He also dissuaded King Ajatasattu from attacking the Kingdom of the Vajjis
He showed how countries could become corrupt, degenerate and unhappy when the head of the government becomes corrupt and unjust. He spoke against corruption and how all governments’ actions must be based on humanitarian principles.
The Buddha once said, 'When the ruler of a country is just and good, the ministers become just and good; when the ministers are just and good, the higher officials become just and good; when the higher officials are just and good, the rank and file become just and good; when the rank and file become just and good, the people become just and good.'
Clearly, religion and politics are something analogous to paper money having two sides. The front can be regarded as religion and the other side can be regarded as politics. They cannot be separated from each other. Otherwise the value of money is nothing. Similarly, Buddhist monks and other religious leaders also should not be separated from politics. I don’t mean to imply that they should rule the country, but just to present and to advance their Buddhist precepts throughout the workings of a government in order to prevent so many wars and conquests, persecutions, such egregious atrocities, rebellions, and the destruction of works of art and culture.
Perhaps Thailand and Sri Lanka can be looked at and considered an example of a successful but not perfect Buddhist Nation. Myanmar has a long way to go in this regard, and the Burmese Generals, if they were smart and wanted to survive as a government, would work at a rapprochement with the Buddhist leaders, who have always had the support and good will of the vast majority of Burmese people, rather than crushing them, infiltrating them, jailing them, beating them, killing them, and otherwise persecuting the Buddhist Monks of Myanmar.