DOCSLIB.ORG

The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia Second Edition

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia Second Edition The buddhist world of Southeast Asia Second Edition Donald K. Swearer The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia SUNY series in Religious Studies Harold Coward, editor The BUDDHIST WORLD of Southeast Asia Second Edition Donald K. Swearer Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2010 State University of New York Press All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu Production by Robert Puchalik Marketing by Michael Campochiaro Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Swearer, Donald K., 1934- The Buddhist world of Southeast Asia / Donal K. Swearer. — 2nd ed. p. cm. — (SUNY series in religious studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4384-3251-9 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-4384-3250-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Buddhism—Social aspects—Southeast Asia. I. Title. BQ410.S93 2010 294.3’370959—dc22 2009039613 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 In memory of Kenneth K. S. Ch’en and Singkha Wannasi, mentors and friends Contents Preface to the Second Edition..........ix Acknowledgments ............xiii Introduction ..............xv PART I. THE POPULAR TRADITION ...... 1 Ideal Action ............. 4 Ritual Occasions, Merit, and the Appropriation of Power . 17 Festivals ..............37 Rites of Passage ............ 50 PART II. BUDDHISM AND THE STATE ...... 71 Asoka, the Exemplary Buddhist Ruler ....... 72 Kings and Cosmology...........82 The Cosmological Scheme of the Three Worlds.....101 The Buddha as Cosmocrator .........104 Modern Nationalism and Buddhism .......109 PART III. BUDDHISM AND MODERNIZATION . 129 The Changing Role of the Monk ........130 Reforming the Tradition..........159 The Changing Role of the Laity ........177 Women and Buddhism ..........190 Buddhism and the West ..........197 Postscript..............203 viii the buddhist world of southeast asia Appendix 1 H^\°aV`VHjiiV: Code of Lay Ethics .....205 Appendix 2 Borobudur ...........208 Notes ...............211 Glossary ...............253 Bibliography ..............262 Index ................287 Preface to the Second Edition I]Z7jYY]^hiLdgaYd[Hdji]ZVhi6h^V is the result of my observation and long-term study of Theravada Buddhism. My interest in Buddhism began as a result of personal experience. In the late 1950s I spent two years in Bangkok, Thailand, where I lived in a Buddhist culture and taught at a Christian college and a Buddhist monastic university. Since that time I have spent several sabbatical leaves in Thailand with shorter stays or visits in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. Although my understanding of Buddhism has benefited from the work of scholars from different disciplines, this mono- graph also reflects my personal experience in Thailand and Southeast Asia. This experience is informed by teaching in the liberal arts college classroom, the primary context in which I have spent most of my academic career. My approach to Buddhism, especially its expression in Thailand, is a multidis- ciplinary approach integrated with a personal appreciation of its depth of meaning and diversity of expression. This monograph is written for readers who wish to study Buddhism, not simply as a normative doctrinal system, but as a historically and culturally contextualized religious tradition, or to put it another way, Buddhism as a lived tradition. This study of Buddhism offers a broad, holistic analysis of the Buddhist tradition as it has been shaped within the historical and cultural milieu of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Diverse forms of Buddhism took root in Southeast Asia, but from the twelfth centuryC.E ., the branch of Buddhism known as Theravada or “Teaching of the Elders,” with its extensive and diverse scriptural canon written in the Pali language, gradually assumed a dominate religious and cultural role.1 Historical evidence from major archaeological ix x the buddhist world of southeast asia sites as well as contemporary Buddhist rituals demonstrate the influence of Hinayana, Mahayana, and Tantrayana forms of Buddhism, which also incorporated Brahmanical and Hindu elements. It must be kept in mind, furthermore, that the forms of Buddhism and Hinduism that took root in Sri Lanka and in insular and mainland Southeast Asia, grew in diverse cultural soils already enriched by various indigenous belief systems from the Sinhalese, Burmese, Tai,2 Lao, and Khmer peoples. We must reject the notion that there existed in mainland Southeast Asia any kind of Theravada Pali “orthodoxy”; this is an ahistorical projection, first constructed by monks of the Sinhalese Mahavihara monastic lineage and subsequently perpetuated in the modern period by both Buddhist adherents and Western scholars. Today, Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia mirrors the rich diversity of its variegated historical and cultural development. In one sense this monograph provides a demonstration of this claim. My use of the term, Theravada Buddhism, therefore, encompasses this sense of the richness and diversity of the tradition. A problem adheres to the use of the word, bdc`. Frequently, Buddhist scholars construct the Buddhist monk as a rational renouncer who single- mindedly walks the Buddha’s path toward enlightenment (nibbana). They either ignore or are oblivious to the multiple roles played by the monk, not just in the present day, but also throughout Buddhist history. The word, monk, is further problematized because it has been gendered as male, requir- ing that the female “monk” be identified as “nun.”3 In Theravada Buddhism the community of Buddhists is divided into four groups—male and female renunciants or almspersons (bhikkhu and bhikkhuni), and their male and female lay supporters (jeVhV`V and jeVh^`V). Although it is an oversimpli- fication, it may be said that both men and women who joined the Buddha’s order or sangha were fundamentally alike in the sense that they shared the common designation of “almspersons.” I shall use monk in this inclusive sense, although in specific contexts, I shall refer to male almspersons, female renuncients, or for clarity, simply monks and nuns. In parts 1 and 3 of the monograph, specific historical and contemporary issues of women and Bud- dhism will be explored. My use of the word, monk, therefore, acknowledges the buddhist world of southeast asia xi both gender distinction and the historical diversity of roles played by Bud- dhist almspersons. Dramatic changes have occurred in the Buddhist world of Southeast Asia since the first edition of this monograph appeared in 1995. The perva- sive effect of globalization has further intensified the transformation of the world’s political economies, cultures, and societies. Mainland Southeast Asia (Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos) and Sri Lanka, which share the teachings, practices, and monastic institutions of Theravada Buddhism, have also been transformed. Despite the significant differences that pertain among these countries where Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion, Buddhism continues to be a major factor in their politics, economies, and cultural identities. The neo-Marxian and secular-liberal predictions of the withering away of religion have been proved false, whether the reference is Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, or—in the case of this monograph—Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. For example, Buddhism is being revived in Cambodia; new monastic and lay movements are flourishing in Thailand; Buddhist monks are actively involved in the political conflict current in Sri Lanka and Myanmar. These are hopeful signs of a vigorous, vital Buddhism, not of a moribund religion. Hopeful signs notwithstanding, overall Theravada Buddhism in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka faces an uncertain future. Will the Buddhist institutions in these countries, their teaching and practices, continue to inform the cultural identities of the Thai, Burmese, Lao, Khmer, and Sinhalese, or will they fail to adapt sufficiently to the changing material realities of their increasingly globalized societies and, hence, become largely irrelevant to daily life’s circumstances? The complexity of the many worlds of Theravada Buddhism defies any easy generalization about its future and challenges any predictions. As this monograph demonstrates, Buddhism is not one “world” in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka, but many different worlds. It is this very diversity and adaptability that has contributed to its enduring influence. What will the future hold? Certainly for its continuing viability, it will require an even greater degree of flexibility xii the buddhist world of southeast asia and adaptability while at the same time retaining those principles and values that have informed, inspired, and challenged the lives of its adherents. This revised and expanded edition of I]Z7jYY]^hiLdgaYd[Hdji]ZVhi6h^V includes numerous additions and changes. Part 3 has been greatly expanded to take into account some of the most significant developments that have occurred within the Buddhist world of Southeast Asia since 1995. Major additions have also been made to the Ideal Action section
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Holidays Religion in China
    Holidays all passion, hatred, and delusion die out and the soul is released from the body. Buddha also understood the CHINA Chinese traditional holidays are calculated according constant motion of the universe and that everything in to the lunar calendar. Here are some national holidays it is subject to birth and decay. This motion is part of celebrated in China: the Dharma, the laws of nature. One of these laws is of January/February* cause and consequence, or karma, which implies that Spring Festival all actions have a corresponding effect. In essence, the March 8 force generated by a person’s actions is a determining International Women’s Day factor in the nature of his/her next life. Buddhism May 1 emphasizes five regimens: striving not to kill, not to Labor Day steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to speak June 1 falsehoods, and not to use drugs. Buddhist holidays Children’s Day include Bodhi Day (December 8), which celebrates the October 1 enlightenment of Buddha under the Bodhi tree; Buddha National Day Day (April 8), which commemorates the birth of Gautama in Lumbini Garden; and Wesak (April/May), the holiest *date varies of Buddhist holy days, which celebrates Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. Religion in China Population 1.4 billion Christians are followers of Jesus, a carpenter and a Jew China is a primarily Buddhist country. Roughly 3 percent from the city of Nazareth in present-day Israel. Christians Capital City Beijing of the population are Christian, and the remaining 1 believe that Jesus is the only son of God, born of a virgin Official Language Standard Chinese or Mandarin percent is Muslim.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Changes in Tzu Chi. by Yu-Shuang Yao and Richard Gombrich
    Changes in Tzu Chi. By Yu-Shuang Yao and Richard Gombrich, October 2014. Tzu Chi will soon be fifty years old. Since 2010 it has been the subject of almost 300 graduate theses written in Taiwan, and that number will surely have increased before this paper is published.1 There has been widespread criticism of Tzu Chi for its lack of traditional Buddhist ritual and public observance of Buddhist festivals. Indeed, the movement has generally appeared somewhat austere in its lack of ritual and public spectacle, an austerity very much in the spirit of Tai Xu’s criticism of the Chinese Buddhism of his day. This year, on May 11th, Tzu Chi showed a new face to the world. The Buddha’s birthday (according to the Chinese Buddhist calendar) was celebrated in every branch of Tzu Chi worldwide. In Hualien the Master herself presided over a spectacular celebration involving, we estimate, nearly 2000 participants. These participants included the Tzu Chi nuns, who live in Hualien at the Abode, the movement’s headquarters; they normally lead reclusive lives and are not seen in public; so far as we can tell, this is the first time that they have taken part in any public ceremony. A similar ceremony was held on an even larger scale in Taipei at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, and was observed by 300 members of the Buddhist Saṅgha who had been invited from around the world. This is the first time that representatives of other Buddhist movements, let alone ordained members of those movements, have been invited by Tzu Chi.
    [Show full text]
  • Materials of Buddhist Culture: Aesthetics and Cosmopolitanism at Mindroling Monastery
    Materials of Buddhist Culture: Aesthetics and Cosmopolitanism at Mindroling Monastery Dominique Townsend Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2012 © 2012 Dominique Townsend All rights reserved ABSTRACT Materials of Buddhist Culture: Aesthetics and Cosmopolitanism at Mindroling Monastery Dominique Townsend This dissertation investigates the relationships between Buddhism and culture as exemplified at Mindroling Monastery. Focusing on the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, I argue that Mindroling was a seminal religio-cultural institution that played a key role in cultivating the ruling elite class during a critical moment of Tibet’s history. This analysis demonstrates that the connections between Buddhism and high culture have been salient throughout the history of Buddhism, rendering the project relevant to a broad range of fields within Asian Studies and the Study of Religion. As the first extensive Western-language study of Mindroling, this project employs an interdisciplinary methodology combining historical, sociological, cultural and religious studies, and makes use of diverse Tibetan sources. Mindroling was founded in 1676 with ties to Tibet’s nobility and the Fifth Dalai Lama’s newly centralized government. It was a center for elite education until the twentieth century, and in this regard it was comparable to a Western university where young members of the nobility spent two to four years training in the arts and sciences and being shaped for positions of authority. This comparison serves to highlight commonalities between distant and familiar educational models and undercuts the tendency to diminish Tibetan culture to an exoticized imagining of Buddhism as a purely ascetic, world renouncing tradition.
    [Show full text]
  • Mekong Cultural Diversity Beyond Borders
    TABATA Yukitsugu, SATO Katsura (eds.) Mekong Cultural Diversity Beyond Borders Proceedings for the International Seminar & Symposium on Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Studies Today March 2020 Institute for Cultural Heritage, Waseda University TABATA Yukitsugu, SATO Katsura (eds.) Mekong Cultural Diversity Beyond Borders Proceedings for the International Seminar & Symposium on Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Studies Today March 2020 Institute for Cultural Heritage, Waseda University Notes The following are the proceedings of the International Seminar "Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Studies Today" and Symposium "To Know and Share about Cultural Heritage" held on 23, 24 and 25 January, 2020, organized by the Institute for Cultural Heritage, Waseda University, as part of the project commissioned by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Each paper of the Seminar was prepared by the presenter. The record of the Symposium was edited based on the presentation materials and audio recordings. 例 言 本報告書は、2020 年 1 月 23 日、24 日、25 日に文化庁委託事業として早稲田大学文化財総合調査研究所が開催した 国際研究会「東南アジア文化遺産研究の現在」及びシンポジウム「文化遺産を知り、そして伝える」の内容を収録した ものである。研究会の論考は各発表者により書き下ろされた。シンポジウムについては発表資料及び録音記録に基づい て編集した。 Mekong Cultural Diversity Beyond Borders Proceedings for the International Seminar & Symposium on Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Studies Today March 2020 Published by Institute for Cultural Heritage, Waseda University Toyama 1-24-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8644, Japan TEL & FAX +81-(0)3-5286-3647 Edited by TABATA Yukitsugu, SATO Katsura © Agency for Cultural Affairs & Institute for Cultural Heritage, Waseda University All rights reserved. Table of Contents Part I Seminar on Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Studies Today [Opening Remarks] What is the Creativity of the World Heritage Cities in Mekong Basin Countries ? ...... 1 NAKAGAWA Takeshi 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist Revivalist Movements Comparing Zen Buddhism and the Thai Forest Movement Buddhist Revivalist Movements Alan Robert Lopez Buddhist Revivalist Movements
    Alan Robert Lopez Buddhist Revivalist Movements Comparing Zen Buddhism and the Thai Forest Movement Buddhist Revivalist Movements Alan Robert Lopez Buddhist Revivalist Movements Comparing Zen Buddhism and the Thai Forest Movement Alan Robert Lopez Chiang Mai , Thailand ISBN 978-1-137-54349-3 ISBN 978-1-137-54086-7 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/978-1-137-54086-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2016956808 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2016 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifi cally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfi lms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specifi c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Cover image © Nickolay Khoroshkov / Alamy Stock Photo Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Nature America Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Gerontocracy of the Buddhist Monastic Administration in Thailand
    Simulacra | ISSN: 2622-6952 (Print), 2656-8721 (Online) https://journal.trunojoyo.ac.id/simulacra Volume 4, Issue 1, June 2021 Page 43–56 Gerontocracy of the Buddhist monastic administration in Thailand Jesada Buaban1* 1 Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia * Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected] DOI: https://doi.org/10.21107/sml.v4i1.9880 Article Info Abstract Keywords: This paper examines the monastic administration in Thai Buddhism, dhamma studies which is ruled by the senior monks and supported by the government. It aims to answer two questions; (1) why the Sangha’s administration has gerontocracy been designed to serve the bureaucratic system that monks abandon social Sangha Council and political justices, and (2) how the monastic education curriculum are secularism designed to support such a conservative system. Ethnographic methodology Thai Buddhism was conducted and collected data were analyzed through the concept of gerontocracy. It found that (1) Thai Buddhism gains supports from the government much more than other religions. Parallel with the state’s bureaucratic system, the hierarchical conservative council contains the elderly monks. Those committee members choose to respond to the government policy in order to maintain supports rather than to raise social issues; (2) gerontocracy is also facilitated by the idea of Theravada itself. In both theory and practice, the charismatic leader should be the old one, implying the condition of being less sexual feeling, hatred, and ignorance. Based on this criterion, the moral leader is more desirable than the intelligent. The concept of “merits from previous lives” is reinterpreted and reproduced to pave the way for the non-democratic system.
    [Show full text]
  • Style and Ascetics: Attractiveness, Power and the Thai Sangha
    Style and Ascetics: Attractiveness, Power and the Thai Sangha Natayada na Songkhla School of Oriental and African Studies Ph.D. Thesis ProQuest Number: 11015841 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is d ep en d en t upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely even t that the author did not send a com p lete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be rem oved, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11015841 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 4 8 1 0 6 - 1346 Abstract The majority of research for this thesis took place during the Thai general election of 1988 when the new religious movements Santi Asoke and Wat Dhammakaya were subject to investigation for political activity despite, respectively, defiance or denial. The relationship between the Thai Sangha and lay devotees is examined in order to discover how it is that Thai monks, whom many researchers find powerless, can be accused of political activity. In the past, monks have been used to legitimate lay political leaders and have taken active roles in local leadership. This thesis aims to determine whether monks in Thailand have power and, if they do, how such power becomes politically threatening to the status quo.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhism and Responses to Disability, Mental Disorders and Deafness in Asia
    Buddhism and Responses to Disability, Mental Disorders and Deafness in Asia. A bibliography of historical and modern texts with introduction and partial annotation, and some echoes in Western countries. [This annotated bibliography of 220 items suggests the range and major themes of how Buddhism and people influenced by Buddhism have responded to disability in Asia through two millennia, with cultural background. Titles of the materials may be skimmed through in an hour, or the titles and annotations read in a day. The works listed might take half a year to find and read.] M. Miles (compiler and annotator) West Midlands, UK. November 2013 Available at: http://www.independentliving.org/miles2014a and http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/bibliography/buddhism/index.php Some terms used in this bibliography Buddhist terms and people. Buddhism, Bouddhisme, Buddhismus, suffering, compassion, caring response, loving kindness, dharma, dukkha, evil, heaven, hell, ignorance, impermanence, kamma, karma, karuna, metta, noble truths, eightfold path, rebirth, reincarnation, soul, spirit, spirituality, transcendent, self, attachment, clinging, delusion, grasping, buddha, bodhisatta, nirvana; bhikkhu, bhikksu, bhikkhuni, samgha, sangha, monastery, refuge, sutra, sutta, bonze, friar, biwa hoshi, priest, monk, nun, alms, begging; healing, therapy, mindfulness, meditation, Gautama, Gotama, Maitreya, Shakyamuni, Siddhartha, Tathagata, Amida, Amita, Amitabha, Atisha, Avalokiteshvara, Guanyin, Kannon, Kuan-yin, Kukai, Samantabhadra, Santideva, Asoka, Bhaddiya, Khujjuttara,
    [Show full text]
  • An Analytical Study of Āyu and Causes Leading to Its Deterioration and Prosperity in Buddhist Scriptures
    An Analytical Study of Āyu and Causes Leading to Its Deterioration and Prosperity in Buddhist Scriptures H.E. Lyonchen Dasho Tshering Tobgay Honorable Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan Abstract Bhutan, having been a Vajrayana Buddhist Kingdom since 8th century, has been greatly shaped in the light of governance, culture and lifestyle. The Buddhist infl uence on human development in Bhutan has come from two sources: governance and leaders. The exemplar of a Buddhist monarch is the chakravartin, the universal wheel-turning king, an inspiration among Bhutanese monarchs. The Ten Duties of the King are also applicable to the leaders. A model Buddhist ruler is an agent of Avalokitesvara, the deity of compassion and a leader is expected to possess three qualities, compassion, strength, and knowledge. The ultimate value of governance in Bhutan is happiness instead of material goal such as GDP. Infl uenced by the Buddhist perspective that happiness should be built on wholesome mindful life, the ideals of governance in Bhutan was formulated by the Fourth King as GNH, which is a development framework applied to offi cial plans and programs. Bhutan is launching GNH business certifi cation to be applied to business and corporations. Under the concept of GNH, the ecological integrity has also been highly emphasized. The Lord Buddha’s dharma was ultimately about how human beings ought to live, which has been of direct relevance to human development. The Lord Buddha’s teachings bout behavioral, verbal and mental actions that would lead to happiness and wellbeing is the main basis of human development in Vajrayana Buddhism.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist Pilgrimage
    Published for free distribution Buddhist Pilgrimage ew Edition 2009 Chan Khoon San ii Sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati. The Gift of Dhamma excels all gifts. The printing of this book for free distribution is sponsored by the generous donations of Dhamma friends and supporters, whose names appear in the donation list at the end of this book. ISB: 983-40876-0-8 © Copyright 2001 Chan Khoon San First Printing, 2002 – 2000 copies Second Printing 2005 – 2000 copies New Edition 2009 − 7200 copies All commercial rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or part, in any form, for sale, profit or material gain is strictly prohibited. However, permission to print this book, in its entirety , for free distribution as a gift of Dhamma , is allowed after prior notification to the author. ew Cover Design Inset photo shows the famous Reclining Buddha image at Kusinara. Its unique facial expression evokes the bliss of peace ( santisukha ) of the final liberation as the Buddha passes into Mahaparinibbana. Set in the background is the Great Stupa of Sanchi located near Bhopal, an important Buddhist shrine where relics of the Chief Disciples and the Arahants of the Third Buddhist Council were discovered. Printed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by: Majujaya Indah Sdn. Bhd., 68, Jalan 14E, Ampang New Village, 68000 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Tel: 03-42916001, 42916002, Fax: 03-42922053 iii DEDICATIO This book is dedicated to the spiritual advisors who accompanied the pilgrimage groups to India from 1991 to 2008. Their guidance and patience, in helping to create a better understanding and appreciation of the significance of the pilgrimage in Buddhism, have made those journeys of faith more meaningful and beneficial to all the pilgrims concerned.
    [Show full text]
  • Vesak Eng.Pdf
    Vasak Day and Global Civilization Author : Phra Brahmagunabhorn (P.A.Payutto) Translator : Ven.Asst.Prof. Dr. Phramaha Hansa Dhammahaso Edited : Mr. Robin Philip Moor Graphic Design : Sarun Upansak, Usa Bunjonjad First Printing : 3000 Copies, May 2011 Published by : Mahachulalongkorn rajavidyalaya University 79 M.1, Lam Sai, Wang Noi, Ayutthaya, 13170, Thailand. Tel. +66 (035)24-8000 www.mcu.ac.th Printed by : Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya Press Wat Mahathatu. Tha Prachan, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200 Tel 0-2221-8892 Fax 0-2923-5623 www.mcu.ac.th Preface Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU) has been privileged to witness and play a crucial role in developing and hosting successful UNDV celebrations from the beginning in 2004/ 2547 to 2011/2554 (except in 2008/2551 – the celebrations were held in Hanoi, Vietnam). As always, we are all very grateful to the Royal Thai Government for its constant support, and thank the Thai Supreme Sangha Council for its blessings, guidance and support. We are indebted, also, to the United Nations for recognizing the thrice-sacred Buddhist holy day. It has been 2554 years since the death of our Great Teacher, and we have gathered here from across the globe, from many nations, to again pay tribute to his birth, enlightenment, and death – occurring on the same day in different years. For the celebrations this year, the Inter- national Association of Buddhist Universities (IABU), created during the UNDV in 2007/2550 by the participating Buddhist higher institutions, plays an important role. The IABU Secretariat now plays a major role in our celebrations, particularly in the academic program of the conference.
    [Show full text]
  • Interfaith Calendar
    2018 - 2019 18-month interfaith calendar 18-Month Interfaith Calendar To foster and support inclusive communities, Diversity Awareness Partnership is pleased to present the 2018-2019 18-Month Interfaith Calendar. This publication is a handy guide to observances celebrated across 25 religious traditions in the St. Louis region. When planning your organization’s schedule, refer to our Interfaith Calendar to honor the holidays your friends, neighbors, and colleagues celebrate. Considerations In order to be more accommodating for people who practice different religions, consider the following: FOOD Food and drink are central to many traditions’ rituals and practices. Consider vegetarian, vegan, non-alcoholic, and decaf options, which can accommodate a wide variety of religious and ethical choices. HOURS Some holidays may require individuals to worship or pray during different hours than they may the rest of the year. Consider flexibility that takes into account the work and objectives of your student or employee, rather than the typical time frame when this is normally accomplished. TIME OFF Many organizations have standard holidays for all employees or students that are built around the worldview of a particular religion - Christianity, for example. Consider allowing practitioners of other religions to float these holidays or make shifts in their schedules. Again, the priority should be the quality of the work, not where or when it takes place. DEADLINES/WORK FLOW During holidays that require prayer at late/early hours or that require fasting, some individuals may experience decreased stamina. Examine project schedules or work deadlines to see if they can be adjusted, if need be. PRAYER Some religions require daily or periodic prayer that requires solitude and quiet.
    [Show full text]