- Published on
As Buddhist, Christian, and Shinto practitioners gathered in Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park on Monday to observe the 73rd anniversary of the world’s first nuclear attack and offer a prayer of remembrance for its victims, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui made a fresh plea for global nuclear disarmament, and warned of the dangers posed by rising nationalism around the world.
Buddhist monastics and laypeople joined people of all faiths at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park at 6:15am on Monday as part of an interfaith service to remember those who lost their lives in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima at 8:15am on Monday, 6 August 1945 that incinerated the city. Three days later a second bomb was detonated over Nagasaki. The two nuclear blasts resulted in the deaths of more than 200,000 people, mostly civilians.
The interfaith assembly was followed by an official ceremony in the presence of Mayor Matsui, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and representatives of 85 countries. Across Japan, people observed a minute’s silence, and in Hiroshima a bell tolled at 8:15am, a somber reminder of the moment the bomb detonated.
“If the human family forgets history or stops confronting it, we could again commit a terrible error. That is precisely why we must continue talking about Hiroshima,” Mayor Matsui said in a strongly worded appeal. He added that for Japan, this meant leading the international community toward “dialogue and cooperation for a world without nuclear weapons.”
(source: www.buddhistdoor.net)
Buddhist monastics and laypeople joined people of all faiths at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park at 6:15am on Monday as part of an interfaith service to remember those who lost their lives in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima at 8:15am on Monday, 6 August 1945 that incinerated the city. Three days later a second bomb was detonated over Nagasaki. The two nuclear blasts resulted in the deaths of more than 200,000 people, mostly civilians.
The interfaith assembly was followed by an official ceremony in the presence of Mayor Matsui, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, and representatives of 85 countries. Across Japan, people observed a minute’s silence, and in Hiroshima a bell tolled at 8:15am, a somber reminder of the moment the bomb detonated.
“If the human family forgets history or stops confronting it, we could again commit a terrible error. That is precisely why we must continue talking about Hiroshima,” Mayor Matsui said in a strongly worded appeal. He added that for Japan, this meant leading the international community toward “dialogue and cooperation for a world without nuclear weapons.”
(source: www.buddhistdoor.net)
- Published on
From the Buddhist points of view, it is absolutely wrong to end a war by another war and killing by killing. - Saneh Dhammavaro
- Published on
In the mid 1990s and long before Jack Kornfield became a best selling author and prominent Buddhist teacher, he gave a series of talks which were transcribed. Here's his response to the question "what is the purpose of meditation?"
Here is a story. After the Buddha was enlightened he was walking down the road in a very happy state. He was supposed to have been quite a handsome prince before going off to be a monk. So here’s this handsome prince now recently enlightened, wearing golden robes and obviously quite happy, and very special from all accounts. And he met some people and they said, “You seem very special. What are you, are some kind of an angel or a deva?” He seemed inhuman in some way. “No.” “Well, are you some kind of a god then?” “No.” “Well, then are you some kind of a wizard or magician?” “No,” he replied. “Well, are you a man?” “No,” he said. “Then what are you?” And he answered, “I am awake.”
And in those three words —“I am awake”— he gave the whole teaching which Buddhism contains. To be a Buddha is to be one who has awakened, awakened to the nature of life and death and the world in which we live, awakened to the body and mind. So the purpose of practicing meditation, the Buddhist and other traditions, is not to become a meditator, or a spiritual person, or a Buddhist, or to join something. Rather, it is to understand this capacity we have as humans to awaken.
Here is a story. After the Buddha was enlightened he was walking down the road in a very happy state. He was supposed to have been quite a handsome prince before going off to be a monk. So here’s this handsome prince now recently enlightened, wearing golden robes and obviously quite happy, and very special from all accounts. And he met some people and they said, “You seem very special. What are you, are some kind of an angel or a deva?” He seemed inhuman in some way. “No.” “Well, are you some kind of a god then?” “No.” “Well, then are you some kind of a wizard or magician?” “No,” he replied. “Well, are you a man?” “No,” he said. “Then what are you?” And he answered, “I am awake.”
And in those three words —“I am awake”— he gave the whole teaching which Buddhism contains. To be a Buddha is to be one who has awakened, awakened to the nature of life and death and the world in which we live, awakened to the body and mind. So the purpose of practicing meditation, the Buddhist and other traditions, is not to become a meditator, or a spiritual person, or a Buddhist, or to join something. Rather, it is to understand this capacity we have as humans to awaken.
- Published on
Wisely reflecting, we take food, not for enjoyment, not for indulgence or the fascination of taste, but simply for the maintenance of the body, for the continuance of existence, for the cessation of painful feeling, for living the higher life.Through this eating, we subdue old painful feelings of hunger and prevent new painful feelings from arising.
Thus, do we live unhindered, blameless, and in comfort.
—Buddha
Thus, do we live unhindered, blameless, and in comfort.
—Buddha
- Published on
Buddhism is extremely popular just now. In the rush to become enlightened, many take shortcuts reading only popular authors who offer Buddhist at beginner levels. However, if you want to deepen your spiritual insight, find a serious text and study it slowly and carefully. Here's how Nikko Odiseos, president of Shambhala Publications explains it:
"It’s a question of quality versus quantity. In other words, the monastic model should still very much be applied here—that’s the sense of slow, deep study of a particular text until you “get” it. Reading a book from front to back and then moving on to the next one is not something that I think most—or any—of the traditions would encourage."
This applies to any path you're trying to follow. If you're in the Yoga/ Vedic tradition, study the Bhagavad Gita, slowly, methodically, carefully, until "you get it."
"It’s a question of quality versus quantity. In other words, the monastic model should still very much be applied here—that’s the sense of slow, deep study of a particular text until you “get” it. Reading a book from front to back and then moving on to the next one is not something that I think most—or any—of the traditions would encourage."
This applies to any path you're trying to follow. If you're in the Yoga/ Vedic tradition, study the Bhagavad Gita, slowly, methodically, carefully, until "you get it."
- Published on
Nila Bala spent some time in Peru where she lived simply in the rainforest for a period of time. In an essay titled "The Earth Is Out Temple" published in Hinduism Today, she tells how her concept of ahimsa (non-violence) expanded as did her compassion for ticks.
"Before living in the rainforest, I equated ahimsa—nonviolence—with being a vegetarian and opposing warfare of any kind. However, this view was too simplistic. So many of our daily actions—using electricity, nonrenewable goods, and so forth—are hurting the Earth at a disturbing rate. For that brief summer in the rainforest, living without any of these conveniences, I realized how simple life could be. I began to coexist with creatures that many find repulsive—snakes, spiders, mosquitos and ticks. They became a daily part of life in our open forest hut. We once found a possum in our shower, and it was obvious that he wanted to be in the shower no more than we wanted him there. We released him back into the wild. On another occasion I found a tick, and upon releasing it, a tourist questioned me as to why I didn’t kill it. I explained the concept of ahimsa—that the tick was only behaving according to its nature, and that I could respond with compassion or with cruelty.
Although I now live with modern conveniences, I have not forgotten the deep and beautiful lessons of the forest, especially that of nonviolence."
"Before living in the rainforest, I equated ahimsa—nonviolence—with being a vegetarian and opposing warfare of any kind. However, this view was too simplistic. So many of our daily actions—using electricity, nonrenewable goods, and so forth—are hurting the Earth at a disturbing rate. For that brief summer in the rainforest, living without any of these conveniences, I realized how simple life could be. I began to coexist with creatures that many find repulsive—snakes, spiders, mosquitos and ticks. They became a daily part of life in our open forest hut. We once found a possum in our shower, and it was obvious that he wanted to be in the shower no more than we wanted him there. We released him back into the wild. On another occasion I found a tick, and upon releasing it, a tourist questioned me as to why I didn’t kill it. I explained the concept of ahimsa—that the tick was only behaving according to its nature, and that I could respond with compassion or with cruelty.
Although I now live with modern conveniences, I have not forgotten the deep and beautiful lessons of the forest, especially that of nonviolence."
- Published on
Killing is killing, the consequence will be the same whether one does it for sport or food, whether out of hatred or anger, greed or passion. - Saneh Dhammavaro
- Published on
Drinking water ends thirst. Eating food ends hunger. What does worshiping God do for you? - Deepak Chopra
- Published on
For a mere $69 per hour, you can rent a middle aged man in Tokyo. He is called an "ossan", the Japanese word for an honorary uncle. An ossan can be hired for any non-physical purpose. Their services are usually called on for friendship and advice.
Like many urban centers worldwide, people in Tokyo prefer anonymity when it comes to their wants, needs and vulnerabilities.
Urban citizens may be desperate to get advice from an older, wiser person, but they don't want to turn to the guy they've worked with for years or the uncle who remembers the tears shed over a broken toy truck. Someone familiar might judge them.
It's much better to pour your woes into a stranger's ear, grab the good advice and run ... or so goes the logic of Takanobu Nishimoto, 50, who founded an onlineOssan Rental service in 2012. Renting a stranger for advice and meeting in, say, a cafe means you will never have to meet again, he said: "Stories will spread if clients talk to someone they know."
This is a great concept. I'm in! Call me! $69 per hour!
Like many urban centers worldwide, people in Tokyo prefer anonymity when it comes to their wants, needs and vulnerabilities.
Urban citizens may be desperate to get advice from an older, wiser person, but they don't want to turn to the guy they've worked with for years or the uncle who remembers the tears shed over a broken toy truck. Someone familiar might judge them.
It's much better to pour your woes into a stranger's ear, grab the good advice and run ... or so goes the logic of Takanobu Nishimoto, 50, who founded an onlineOssan Rental service in 2012. Renting a stranger for advice and meeting in, say, a cafe means you will never have to meet again, he said: "Stories will spread if clients talk to someone they know."
This is a great concept. I'm in! Call me! $69 per hour!
- Published on
It is a universal truth that evil can only be overcome by its opposite, positive force good, love and compassion. - Saneh Dhammavaro