LumbiniLumbiniLumbini J OURNAL O F T HE L UMBINI N EPALESE B UDDHA D HARMA S OCIETY (UK) Volume 12 May 2009

Mahabouddha Temple, Patan, Nepal Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK)

uddha was born more than 2600 years ago at Lumbini in Nepal. His teachings of existence of suffering and Lumbini Bthe way out of the suffering are applicable today as they were Journal of The Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK) applicable then. The middle way he preached is more appropriate now than ever before. Lumbini is the journal of LNBDS (UK) and published annually depending upon funds and written material; and distributed free For centuries Buddhism remained the religion of the East. of charge as Dharma Dana. It is our hope that the journal will Recently, more and more Westerners are learning about it serve as a medium for: and practising Dharma for the spiritual and physical well- being and happiness. As a result of this interest many 1.Communication between the society, the members and other monasteries and Buddhist organisations have been interested groups. established in the West, including in the UK. Most have Asian connections but others are unique to the West e.g. Friends of Western 2.Publication of news and activities about Buddhism in the United Buddhist Order. Kingdom, Nepal and other countries. Nepalese, residing in the UK, wishing to practice the Dharma for their spiritual development, turned to them as there were no such Nepalese 3.Explaining various aspects of Dharma in simple and easily organisations. Therefore, a group of Nepalese met in February 1997 understood language for all age groups. and founded Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK) to fill this gap. The society is non-political, non-racial, non-profit making 4.Discussion on Dharma through a readers column. voluntary organisation and open to all, both Nepalese and non-Nepalese, whatever their faith and tradition. Lumbini is run purely on donation. Therefore, any donations are welcome and greatly appreciated. Cheques/Postal orders Advisers should be made payable to Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Bhikkhu Sugandha (Thailand), Lodro Thaye, Bhikkhu Sujankirti, Society (UK) or LNBDS (UK) and forwarded to the society. Dr. Ratna Bahadur Shakya Executive Committee Members (UK) Bhikkhu Sumana (President), Mr. Amrit Sthapit (Vice-President), Mr. Lumbini for you... Dinesh Sthapit (Treasurer), Dr Dharma B. Shakya (Secretary), Mr. Ram Babu Thapaliya (Joint Secretary) For the forthcoming issues of Lumbini, we welcome your articles, anecdotes, short stories or news features, which are Members linked to Nepal and/or Buddhism. Send your contributions Mrs. Nani Shova Shakya, Mr. Gyalsang Tamang, Mr. Sukman Lama, and comments to:- Dr. Dinesh Bajracharya, Dr. Swayambhu Tuladhar and Mr. Sujan Shakya The Editor, Journal of LNBDS (UK), 11 Mulberry Drive, Life Members Slough Berkshire, SL3 7JU Tel : 01753-549370, Mr. Amrit Sthapit, Dr. Dharma Shakya, Dr. Lochan Manandhar, e-mail: [email protected] Mrs. Nani Shova Shakya, Mrs Sakuna Lama, Miss Hima Gurung, Mrs Anita Rai, Mr. Lil Gurung, Mr. Surya Bajra Yonjan, Dr. Bhadra Please include your full name, address and telephone Dhoj Karki, Mr. Redwood MA, Mr. Shashi Manandhar, Mr. Rambabu number. We regret we cannot acknowledge or return Thapaliya, Mr. Uttam Nepal, Mr. Dinesh Sthapit, Dr. Dinesh items we do not publish. Bajracharya, Miss Sophia Somerville, Mrs. Vibeke Dahl, Mrs. Asha Sharma, Dr. David Gellener, Mrs. Shanta Gurung Editor: Amrit Sthapit

Editorial Panel: Dr Dharma Shakya, Ram Babu Thapaliya, Objectives Menika Sthapit 1. To make Buddhism known to the wider public and to help them understand the benefits of the Buddha's profound teachings, LNBDS OfficeOffice: Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK) 11 Mulberry Drive, Slough, 2. To have a forum for the meeting of Nepalese residents in the UK Berkshire, SL3 7JU, UK. and others with an interest in Buddha Dharma as a spiritual prac- Web: www.lumbini.org.uk tice for discussion, exchange of ideas, constructive dialogue and to Tel: 01753-549 370 build Nepalese Buddhist community in the UK etc., [email protected]

3. To establish links with similar organisations in the UK, Nepal and Printed by: Jeddo Print other countries, Unit 32, 63 Jeddo Road, London, W12 9ED

4. To organise voluntary work to help reduce human suffering in Nepal and other countries, and Articles and opinions expressed in the journal are not necessarily the opinions of the society. 5. To promote and publish religious and cultural heritage of Nepal.

May 2009 Lumbini 2 Lumbini Journal of The Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK) Contents

Volume 12 May 2009 LNBDS Executive Committee and Objectives 2 Editorial Editorial 3 Mahabouddha Temple Patan (front cover) 4 Happy 2553rd Buddha Day (Buddha Jayanti, Vesak Day, Swanyapunhi) and warm wishes from LNBDS! This year is The mirror that has no stand - Venerable Sochu 5 2553 Buddha Era since the Buddha passed away. ‘One who sees the teaching sees me’, said The Buddha. The greatest way to pay our respect and homage to the great Buddhism in Modern Society - Bhante Kovida 7 master is to practise his Noble teaching. It is 12 years ago that LNBDS (UK) was established. During a4sf' ] hGd - xl/ l;x+ yfkf 9 this period your support, encouragement, constructive criticism and guidance had been a great help in the growth WHO IS WHO IN BUDDHISM IN NEPAL 10 of our society. To continue and expand the society’s activities (Late Ven. Pragyananda Mahasthavir) in the future for the benefit of many, your continued support ~ Phra S. M. Sujano is essential and will be greatly appreciated. To coincide with the twelfth anniversary of the society we are holding an What’s ‘Noble’ About ‘Four Noble Truths’?: 12 essay competition on ‘Buddhist attitude to conflict’ this The Meaning of ‘Ariya’ in the Pali Canon year as in 2007 with the collaboration of Buddhist Youth ~ Dr. Sunil Kariyakarawana Group, Kathmandu in Nepal. Nepal is a living museum of religious shrines and temples. a4sf' cfvfFF - ufkLs] i0f[ k;fO| 15 We are proud of our heritage but we seemed to lack knowledge of historical, religious and social background of a4u kl0fu dfsf{ ] lq;Gbz] - kf| . :jl:t /Tg zfSo 16 our heritage. One of such sites is Mahaboudha Temple in Patan, Nepal (front cover) which is an example of the fine LNBDS Activities and News 20 craftsmanship of Nepalese showing compassion and devotion to the Buddha. first sermon (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta) ‘setting in To be born as a human being is a blessing, a rare motion the wheel of the Dhamma’. By grasping the four opportunity (dullabho manussa patilabho). Eating, resting, noble truths one can attain the bliss of Nirvana, to have fear and sensual pleasures are common to all living enlightenment. Taking this to scholastic level Dr. Sunil beings, may it be beast or human. Cultivated heart/mind, Kariyakarawana analyses the word ‘Ariya’ Noble in his article which is like mirror differentiates us from animals. ‘What’s ‘Noble’ about ‘Four Noble Truths’?: The Meaning Concentration and mindfulness cleanses defiled mind, like of ‘Ariya’ in the Pali Canon’. I am sure our readers will cleaning a mirror and helps us to differentiate wholesome benefit from this analytical observation of the term ‘Ariya’ acts (Kusala Karma) from unwholesome acts (Akusala used in the noble teaching. Karma). ‘The mirror that has no stand’ by Venerable Sochu In who is who in Buddhism in Nepal, Venerable Phra Sujano gives us extensive profound teaching on this point. We are writes a brief biography of late Venerable Pragyananda indebt to Venerable Sir for such an enlightening article. Mahasthavir, the first Maha Sangha Nayaka of Nepal. The Buddha’s teaching is not a dogma to follow with blind Similarly, for those Nepalese who would like to read in faith. Dogma has no place in his teaching. The profound their own language, we have included an article on teaching (Dharma) is to be grasped with experience along ‘Significance of Buddha Day’ by Prof. Swasti Ratna Shakya. with wisdom (Panna) and devotion (Saddha). Extracts from Mr. Hari Singh Thapa and Mr. Gopi Krishna Prasai Bhante Kovida’s book ‘An Inquiring Mind’s Journey: a book contributed fitting poems on ‘The Buddha’s birth’ and ‘The about a life with Buddhism’ give some rays on basic Buddha’s eye’ respectively. Buddhism. We are grateful to Bhante for granting We hope all our readers will enjoy reading this journal, as permission to publish extracts from his book. much as we have enjoyed presenting it to you. May peace The Buddha taught ‘four noble truth’ (Catu Ariya Sacca) and contentment be with you. and ‘noble eight fold path’ (Ariya atthangiko Maggo) in his ‘Bhavatu Sabba Mangalam’

3 Lumbini May 2009 Mahabouddha Temple Patan

Main altar of the Mahaboudha Temple (Front Cover) Mahaboudha temple is situated in the crowded residential version stated that it was built by a Brahmin scholar named area of Patan about 1.5 Km from Durbar square – the Pandit Abhaya Raja in 17th century (1601). palace complex of the Patan Malla kings. This temple was built in the same style as shikhara temple of India. The temple was completely destroyed in the great This temple is also known as the temple of thousand earthquake of Kathmandu valley in 1934. It was rebuilt Buddhas as every niche and bricks have a small image of to its same original design and specification proving that Buddha - a total of nine thousand Buddha images. Nepalese maintained their magnificent architectural skills Unfortunately the courtyard where the temple is situated alive to date. and the entrance leading to it are surrounded by private buildings obscuring the temple completely from main From the extra bricks left out after reconstruction of the road. main temple, a small shrine was built which was situated at the right side of the temple. There is a narrow pathway The shrine is a terracotta structure but when it was built for the people to circumambulate this small temple. was not known for certainty. There were three different versions of when this temple was built. The first version Mahaboudha temple is a popular site for the tourists and stated that it was built during the regime of King for local people. Local people visit this temple and adjacent Mahendra Malla, some time before 1585. The second goddess Bidhyadhari Devi in great numbers to pay their version stated that it was built by a Buddhist devotee respect. named Jiva Raja after his visit to Bodhgaya and the third (Photo by Srijana Shakya)

May 2009 Lumbini 4 The mirror that has no stand

Venerable Sochu Shobo-an, London The Sixth Chinese Patriarch Eno Daikan (Ch. Hui Neng: that he had achieved by his own efforts also now had 638 – 713), once wrote a short verse: dropped off, there was nothing much left just his own life. If we look at the Buddha’s life story we get an uncanny There is no Bodhi Tree feeling that in fact this story is not just that of someone The Heart – Mirror has no stand who lived and died twenty-five centuries ago but in fact When there is absolutely nothing has much in common with our own individual lives today. What dust can alight, where? We too, are born and by and large are looked after and given what we need to grow up and take care of ourselves. It was written in response to a verse by the head monk at But we too, have to leave home and go and make our the monastery where Eno was staying, who had been asked own way in the world. Quite often what our parents to compose a verse expressing his insight by the abbot. wanted us to do is not exactly what we want to do and The head monk’s verse went as follows: there will have been some disagreement. We then go and make something of ourselves, perhaps we gained wealth This very body is the Bodhi Tree and honours of some kind, but there comes a point when The Heart is a bright mirror on a stand we begin to realise that such things do not last forever. Everyday wipe the mirror clean We begin to wonder if perhaps there isn’t something more So that no dust can alight. dependable on which to lean for support. This becomes very apparent at such times when what we have been doing Knowing how this story ends, with Eno becoming the suddenly becomes redundant. When the children leave sixth patriarch, the usual response is to side with the first home, what then for the parent who has spent years looking verse and consider the second verse to be at fault. This after them? Of course, it means a job well done, that the tendency to take sides is a typical reaction for ‘I’, who children have now ‘flown the nest’, but inevitably there is because of being a delusion is dogged by insecurities and a feeling of loss. Sometimes, if a relationship breaks down, is always secretly yearning for affirmations. If this there is too a feeling of aimlessness, or if we are made temptation is yielded to then something is lost. In the redundant from our job the same anxiety can arise for the original story, the fifth patriarch, who asked the head monk future welfare or our families and ourselves. It is at these for his verse, upon reading it, told the other monks that if times that we, like Prince Gotama, have taken our trips they were to take it to heart and put it into practice then out of the palace and seen for ourselves the reality of ‘old they would surely be delivered from the round of birth age, sickness & death’. In other words the impermanence and death. Now we know that such a great man would of life, our affairs and so on. Usually, we manage to not mislead his students so we can safely take that what scramble back to some kind of normality occupying our he said was true. However, it is also true that he at once time with some other occupation or relationship to realised that his head monk’s insight was not advanced compensate for our loss. However by the time the great and he had not penetrated through to the essence of the being who was to become the Buddha sat himself down Dharma. He did recognise that Eno Daikan had attained under the Bodhi Tree there was a new possibility on the such a level of insight in his verse and so passed on the horizon. When something unpleasant happens to us we Buddha’s robe and bowl to him thus conferring the line do not look deeply for the causes, we just suppose that of transmission and making the latter the sixth patriarch. the loss of one thing can be repaired by the acquisition of another. However by doing this we lose the opportunity In order to make some sense of this apparent paradox we to see how ‘I’ myself contribute to my own suffering. It should look a bit more closely at the two verses and see was this opportunity that the ascetic Gotama took full what they point towards. advantage of when he separated from those five ascetics and made this great vow. He realised that the answer lay This body is the Bodhi tree within himself and this is reflected in the Pali Canon when he say to his monks that the world, the beginning The Bodhi tree or tree of Enlightenment is the very tree of the world, the end of the world and the way that leads under which the ascetic Gotama sat prior to becoming to the end of the world lies in this very body. All the The Awakened One. Having reached a point where all objects of meditation such as the Five Skandas, the that he had been born with he had now left behind and all Eighteen Dhatus, and the Twelve-Linked Chain of Arising

5 Lumbini May 2009 due to Conditions all relate to mindfulness practices rooted This is all well and good; however there is a problem here in the body and the Mind which it supports. too. The one idea that is perhaps most fixated in the heart, for most of us, is that of a separate ‘I’. In particular The Heart is a bright mirror on a stand the conviction that for anything to happen ‘I’ must do it; I am the perennial ‘do-er’. If there is seeing then ‘I’ am the This term ‘Heart’ is the English translation of the Pali/ seer; in hearing ‘I’ am the hearer and especially in thinking Sanskrit term ‘citta’ – the seat of consciousness. The am ‘I’ not the thinker? In wanting it is ‘I’ who wants; in formula of the Five Skandas show the components of the understanding ‘I’ am the one who must comprehend and Body – Mind: physical form, feeling, perception, mental so on. All these activities are seen as revolving around ‘I’. volitions all arising in sense consciousness. This is what But this is just the illusion that the Buddha squashed in makes up a human being like you and me. It is through his Lion’s Roar of – Anatta. the faculty of this ‘mirror’ that these components can be seen. What is more that each of these components is empty Even with mindfulness practice and sitting meditation is of any trace of self-nature. Through practice, there not a feeling that it is ‘my’ practice? ‘I’ must meditate, consciousness is refined so that it can see further into the ‘I’ must become more mindful or aware; from this the sets of skandas as they arise. So that, in a moment of desire for progress comes along and a corresponding anger, the ‘He has taken my parking space; how dare he!” disappointment if things do not happen fast enough for can be seen not in terms of ‘I’, ‘me’ & ‘mine’ but as sets of ‘me’. So insight must see into all these errors too and one skandas. This transformation of consciousness from the by one let go of them. Now, looking closer, insight personal to the impersonal way of seeing not only prevents discovers that this ‘I’ who ‘does’ all these things in fact is the passions from taking too strong a hold but also enables nothing but a conception in the Mind – Heart supported the best response to the situation to be seen. This is why by all the emotional reactions of wanting and aversion. the first step on the Noble Eightfold Path is ‘Right View’ This ‘I’ is a stream of thoughts which appears when the which then naturally leads onto Right Thought, Right thoughts think about ‘me’. Beyond that there is no Speech and Right Action. substance to ‘me’ at all! Thus in the absence of thoughts, in the absence of conceptions, ‘I’ too disappears. This is However, the Buddha makes it clear in the accompanying the insight of Anatta. However, if all conceptions drop formula of the Eighteen Dhatus that even consciousness off then so too do thoughts about mirrors, stands, dusts, is not independent but interlinked with objects of mental Buddha, practices, Nirvana etc. Such conceptions, useful sense and the organ of mental consciousness. This prevents and necessary though they are, can end up getting in the the erroneous view that there is self in consciousness. Thus way of the quiet open-ness that is the true nature of the the mirror too must have a stand on which to rest. unchanging Mind – Heart. So in the end these too, if they are not to become in any way ‘mine’, must also drop Everyday wipe the mirror clean off. Thus we have the matching poem of the Sixth Patriarch, which far from contradicting the Head monk’s Now we are in familiar territory with our daily life verse forms a complimentary matching pair. practice, often called Mindfulness. As in sitting meditation, whenever the awareness arises of having To any ‘I’ this no-thingness seems terrifying, but in truth become caught up in thought – streams to gently, but this no-thingness is the True Nature of things, not some firmly, bring awareness back to this moment. In this way time in the future but right now. Out of this no-thingness awareness of living fully in this moment, with what the everything arises we look around and here it is! So not to body is doing, is cultivated. make false conceptions about this anatta/no-thingness either. So that no dust may alight In the absence of this conception of a separate ‘I’ then the The six senses are also called the ‘dusts’ and sometimes spaciousness of this ‘no- thingness’ has room for all beings ‘robbers’. This is because on the one hand, like dust on a and the warmth and the compassion we hear so much mirror they prevent clear seeing. On the other hand they about in Buddhism naturally wells up from the heart. And ‘steal’ the heart away into an endless round of picking & being too much for one heart goes out and touches the choosing. Wanting now this, running away from hearts of those around us. something I don’t like, dreaming about how things could be, or should be etc. So the dusts are not allowed to become attached to the mirror and the heart does not 'The Gift of Truth Excels all other Gifts' therefore become fixated upon things or ideas.

May 2009 Lumbini 6 Buddhism in Modern Society Extracts From: An Inquiring Mind’s Journey: a book about a life with Buddhism Bhante Kovida Q: Do you have to become an official Buddhist in Each of us must therefore be mindful as we tread the order to understand the Buddha’s teachings? ancient way of the Wise Ones. Each of us must see the A: No, you don’t have to become an official Buddhist in path through our own eyes. Each must know the Dharma order to understand the Dharma. through one’s own experience. Just reading books is not All you really need is a sensitive, inquiring mind and a enough; the value of the Dharma isn’t to be found in books deep wish to understand yourself and the nature of or in rites, rituals and ceremonies. Those are external existence better. Many Buddhists do not understand what appearances of Dharma; just fingers pointing to the moon, the Buddha taught; they say they’re Buddhists because their they’re not the realization of Dharma as a personal parents were Buddhists by tradition. experience. If you realise the Dharma you realise your own Similarly, many people call themselves Christians because mind, you see the truth there. When the truth becomes their parents and grandparents were Christians but only apparent it cuts off the stream of delusion. We must be some of them really understand the teachings of Jesus mindful of our methods and conditioned habits of Christ. reacting, of forming opinions and prejudices. Through They may go to the temple or church every Sunday but mindfulness, we may strip life of its illusions and they remain ignorant and superstitious. The Buddha wasn’t complexities, its pretenses and hallucinations, its fears, a “Buddhist” and Jesus wasn’t a “Christian”. Both teachers anxieties, tensions and so on. We are able to experience were great mystics and spiritual beings who had made the the wordless truth of seeing things as they are in the flame effort to overcome human weaknesses and defilements— of attention, in the clarity of perception, free from the ignorance and delusion, craving and clinging, hatred and conditioning/programming of the mind—labels, ill will. Personally, I do not consider myself a “Buddhist”; judgments, comparisons, criticisms, likes and dislikes, rather I’m a student of the Dharma, the teachings of the desires and aversions. The Buddha taught the way of Buddha. Siddhartha Gotama did not become a Buddha Satipatthana through which the Dharma may be clearly through Buddhism; he was awakened to the Dharma [the realized. truths of existence, the laws of Nature]. You can say that Mindfulness and reflection in daily life lead to insight, the Dharma produced a Buddha, and the Buddha self-knowledge, wisdom, compassion, freedom and proclaimed the Dharma so that we, too, can become harmony. awakened to the Dharma and attain freedom from suffering, ignorance and delusion. Q: Do you have to become a monk or nun to follow the path of the Buddha? In the last twenty-five centuries thousands of books have A: No, it isn’t necessary although being a monastic does been written which seek to elaborate or simplify the give one more time to devote oneself to study, mind Dharma. Religions have been formed around it and cultivation, and reflection. One can practice equally as well countless practices [rites, rituals, ceremonies, etc.] have been as a lay person; the important thing is the seriousness of advised in its name, all of which tend to separate the one’s intention and the effort made. If one has an inquiring, Dharma from life, from everyday existence—all of which contemplative mind then one will be motivated to go glorify and venerate the pathfinder [the Buddha, various deeply into the Dharma to attain self-knowledge and mystics and their followers]—yet which ignore the increased awareness, mindfulness and attention, which lead Timeless Path and the qualities of nobility needed to even to wisdom, compassion and freedom. Some monks and begin on the spiritual journey. This ignorance [ignore-ance] nuns do not have inquiring minds; they become monastics in which the bewilderment of suffering and confusion have for reasons other than spiritual—family expectation, their base, has been the reason why the one continuing escaping an unhappy marriage or a stressful life situation advice of the Buddha has been continually ignored. What or poverty, and so on. Some monastics become lazy and is this advice? Satipatthana [mindfulness, calm attention]. corrupt; some remain worldly-minded, ignorant and To be mindful of life. To pay attention, to be alert and deluded. Instead of cultivating humility and simple living, awake! To examine and reflect sensibly and without preset they become obsessed with building temples and views and opinions the physical and mental states of monuments, and how to get more funds for their egoistic phenomena. To be aware of “what is” from moment to schemes. They try to glorify Buddhism in the vain hope moment. of glorifying themselves in the process but they cannot escape from suffering.

7 Lumbini May 2009 Sometimes becoming a monk or nun can be a hindrance Q: How is the Buddha’s teaching relevant today in to awakening: without proper training and guidance the modern society? deluded ego gets easily caught up in the image of being A: There’s a great deal of mental suffering in modern society someone very holy and special and so a lot of suffering and the Buddha’s teaching is about understanding the and conflict is experienced. As in lay life, deluded monks nature of suffering and how to overcome suffering. He and nuns, if they get into positions of power or influence, called this the Four Noble Truths—the truth of suffering can also cause a lot of suffering and problems in the temple and mental dis-ease, the cause of suffering, the cessation and monastic environment. of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of Power is indeed corrupting, aggressive, violent and suffering. destructive unless there is wisdom, compassion and This teaching was relevant 2500 years ago and it’s most mindfulness. relevant today in our consumer, materialistic society where there’s a lot of stress, self-centered craving, greed and Q: What is the most important thing in following attachment, fear and insecurity, frustration, loneliness, the Buddha’s path? isolation, depression and sadness. A: The most important thing in following the Buddha’s Although people today are more educated, sophisticated path is first recognizing our human defilements [ignorance and literate, they still suffer from ignorance and delusion, and delusion, craving and clinging, hatred and ill-will] and craving and clinging, hatred and ill will. In modern society then making the effort to purify our minds and hearts of people have an absurd sense of “I”, “me”, and “mine”, they these defilements which cause us suffering and dis-ease, are far too self-centered and take themselves far too and disharmony in society and the world at large. seriously, and so they experience a great deal of suffering, Liberation means letting go of suffering. The Buddha’s craving and fear. advise was: “Do good, refrain from unwholesome actions, and purify the mind.” Many Buddhists do not make the Most people do not understand themselves, their own effort to purify their minds so they remain greedy, self- minds and the laws of Nature. centered, fearful and superstitious, envious and jealous, Their minds are restless and confused and so they’re caught proud, arrogant, and conceited, and resentful of others. by greed, resentment and delusion. There is constant In short, they remain ignorant and deluded. They do not grasping and clinging, craving and attachment to worldly know the freedom and virtue of loving kindness, things including to ideas, concepts, ideals, views and compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. Following opinions, to personal preferences. the Noble Eight-fold Path of wholesome living, mind There is a great deal of fear, anxiety and insecurity, including cultivation and wisdom leads to the ending of suffering. the fear of death and of letting go of attachments. Due to In today’s world, it is essential that we learn to relax and ignorance and delusion, we do not see death as a natural let go of tension, stress, agitation and anxiety in order to phenomenon any longer. We see it as the cruel end to the recognize our defilements and to look deeply into the true self or ego-personality with its many attachments, its nature of existence, into the way things are. Mental repose pleasures, enjoyments and habits. We don’t see that death, is essential to mind training and cultivation, to mindfulness sickness and old age exist simply because there is birth of and insight. the physical body; that all these natural conditions are If one reflects on the life of the Buddha, there are essentially inseparable, and that there is no permanent self or ego three qualities that stand out: renunciation and simplicity, personality within us. All that we are is a mind-body process loving kindness and compassion, wisdom and consisting of water, earth, fire and air. The ego-personality mindfulness. It is no coincidence that these qualities lead is only conditioning based on memory and past to the attainment of Nirvana, a state of peace and experiences. Our very existence is based on constant change contentment. In the context of the three defilements and and impermanence yet due to ignorance [ignoreance] we the repeated arising of suffering, discontentment and dis- crave permanency in our relationships, in pleasure and ease, we can see that renunciation and simplicity is the enjoyment, in being and becoming, in having and antidote for craving and clinging, loving kindness and possessing, in our attachments, and so there is the fear of compassion is the antidote for hatred and ill will, and these things coming to an end—we don’t want people, wisdom and mindfulness is the antidote for ignorance and material things, and situations that we’re attached to delusion. Through cultivating these three qualities one is change. So there is suffering—craving and clinging, fear able to eliminate the defilements and attain the peace and and anxiety, frustration, despair, and dis-ease. bliss of Nirvana. So it is no coincidence that these qualities should stand out so prominently in the Buddha’s life. The realisation of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and the non-existence of a permanent, concrete and separate

May 2009 Lumbini 8 self leads to peace, harmony and freedom. In Dharma practice, we come to realise the unsatisfactoriness of a''4sf''' ]] ]]] hGd sensory experience; when we expect to be satisfied from sensory objects or experiences we can only be temporarily satisfied, gratified maybe, momentarily happy—and then gkfnsf] ] df6f ] a4sf' ] hGd it changes. This is because there is no point in sensory ljZjnfO { lbP zflGtsf ] wd{ consciousness that has a permanent quality or essence. So dfxnfO] { TofuL dfIfsf] ] dfu{ the sensory experience is always a changing one, but out of ignorance and delusion, we tend to expect a great deal hk / tk ;sd' { cfh{ from it. We tend to demand, hope and create all kinds of illusory expectations, only to feel terribly disappointed, a4sf' ] 1fg hunsf+ ] ofqf frustrated, despairing, sorrowful and fearful. Once we TofUg u g } enf ;G;f/L hfqf understand non-self, then the burden of life is lifted. We’ll be at peace with the world. When we see beyond the hGdb } lx8+ ] ;ft kfOnf{ uGy]] conditioned self, beyond the idea of “me” and “mine”, we lx;f+ / xTof gug {u eGy] no longer cling to happiness and security, and then we can be truly happy, peaceful and secure. We are able to let go sdnsf ] kmn' ;ft kfOnf{ 6s] ] without struggle—to be light, innocent, joyful and free. By knowing our own body, heart and mind, we can let go cfZro { dfg ] ;;f/n+ ] bv]] ] of grasping and clinging, let go of mental—emotional Hofltsf] ] Hjfnf hufO { lnof+} states instead of being caught and deluded by them. gkfnL] lz/ pRr kf/L lbof} We can be content with little, with simple living and wise understanding. a4n' ] lbP{ clt { / pkbz] Nature of suffering [dukkha] P;] cf/d 5f8L] ;Gtsf ] eif] blgofu nfO+ { lbP dlQmsfu ] af6f] Dukkha is anything that disturbs the natural peace and balance of the mind. The mind [and body] is an aspect of kljq kf/ ] gkfnsf] ] df6f] nature, like the leaves, grass, pond, etc. It has its own peace and equanimity but this is easily disturbed because it follows olx al4' 1fg lnP/ dGdf moods and emotions, it reacts and becomes upset, like zflGtsf ] Hoflt] kmNofO} { hgdf the wind that blows the leaves and grass around and disturbs the calm surface of the pond. So, dukkha covers the whole hgLsfu ] dfIf] a4sf' ] 1fg range of human experience—craving, greed, envy, >4f / ;dg' r9fp5 ' kfpmdf . frustration, disappointment, despair, depression, sadness, sorrow, grief, hatred, jealousy, resentment, ill-will, fear, xl/ l;x+ yfkf worry, anxiety, guilt, obsession, loneliness, boredom, and so on. cWoIf, gkfnL] ;flxTo ljsf; kl/ifb \ os' ] Dukkha also means that all things—physical, mental and emotional—are impermanent and transitory, and are flow of changing and unsatisfactory states. Nothing is fixed therefore unsatisfactory and unreliable. Nothing in the and everlasting. world—people, material possessions, sense pleasures and Dukkha also includes birth, sickness, ageing and death; enjoyment, feelings, ideas, etc.—can give us permanent being with unpleasant aggravating persons and happiness, satisfaction and security. After all, happiness conditions—hot or cold weather, rain, floods, storms, [and unhappiness] is only temporary mental states, only earthquake, etc.; being separated from loved ones and changing conditions of the mind. A happy feeling, a pleasant conditions, not getting what one desires, not pleasant sensation or experience, a comfortable situation having things the way we would like them to be, is not permanent, it doesn’t last forever. It has to change unfulfilled wishes and expectations, and so on. sooner or later. And when it does, it produces mental pain, The cause of Dukkha is mainly due to self-centered craving disease, frustration and disappointment, and despair. The and attachment, grasping and clinging. There is craving Buddha realised that the world— conditioned existence, for pleasant experiences, craving for material things, craving inside and outside of ourselves—was a constant, ceaseless for eternal life, and craving for eternal death. We all enjoy Continue to page 18 ...

9 Lumbini May 2009 WHO IS WHO IN BUDDHISM IN NEPAL Late Ven. Pragyananda Mahasthavir (1900 - 1993) The First Sangha Mahanayaka and the Father of Theravada Buddhism in modern Nepal Phra S. M. Sujano ‘There was Buddhist monks only in wall paintings, adopted the Vajrayana or sahayana sect of Tantric there was no living Buddhist monks left on earth.’ This Buddhism (Vandya, 1978, p. 11). fact represents the situation in Nepal before 1930 (Amritananda, The History of Theravada Buddhism in Despite facing many difficulties, he managed to Nepal). It indicates the extent to which Buddhism and get into the Kathmandu Valley and stayed at Kindol Vihara. Buddhist monks were concealed from the country of its His arrival was rather an unusual sight for the people of founder’s birth place, Nepal. After more than 600 years Kathmandu. He was the first yellow-robed monk since this situation was making known in the historic suppression of the King 1930 with the re-appearance of ven. Jayasthiti Malla about 600 years earlier. Karmasheel or ven. Pragyananda He also faced hardship from his friends Mahasthavir the first Sangha and family who found his decision to Mahanayaka (chief monk) of modern be a Theravadin recluse unacceptable. Nepal. He was born into the Buddhist However, his decision was firm and he family of Mr. Harkha Bir singha was determined to serve the dhamma. Tuladhar and Mrs Mohan Maya He was accompanied by lay Buddhist Tuladhar, a family of a traditional Dasha Ratna (later Ven. Dhammaloka) physician uday of Itumbahal, and Loka Ratna at Kindol vihara, when Kathmandu in 1900. He was named he started his propagation. His task at Vaidya Kulman Singh Tuladhar. He that time was politically risky, socially received his formal education at Durbar tedious and philosophically School, and went on to study Ayurvedic challenging. He was received with traditional medicine which later became mixed feelings of public curiosity and his profession. This brought him in to contact with apathy on one side, to the exhibition of malice, malignity Buddhism in 1928 while he was in Lhasa. and ill-treatment on the other side (Vandya, p.14). He was even ordered to exile from the country by the Mr. Kulaman was married and living in Lhasa at government along with other members in 1944. the time when he was inspired by his client Ven. Nevertheless, his determination to serve the dhamma Mahapragya (then Tibetan Ghelung). He then decided to would never diminish for the rest of his life. become a monk in the Tibetan Ghelung tradition with Forankha Rimpoche in 1928. He took ghelung vows and In 1932, he went to Arkhan, Burma to study both was named Thile Chhulthim, which means Karmasheel theoretical and practical Buddhism for two and half years in Nepalese. After becoming a ghelung, he went to at Lemado chaun Vihara, where under the preceptorship meditate for several months at Kapakya and went to of Ven. U. Manawa Mahathera, he took a higher Kalingpong. Via his pilgrimage to Buddhist sites at ordination (upasampada) as Bhikkhu Pragyananda. He was Kusinagar, Ven. Karmasheel met with Ven. U. known by this name for the continuation of his life. He Chandramani, a Burmese Buddhist monk living in India. travelled to many Buddhist temples and centres for He was greatly inspired by ven. Chandramani’s practice Buddhist studies abroad to further contribute towards the and knowledge of Buddhism, which he thought to be revival of the Buddhist movement in Nepal. He finally more real and authentic teachings of the Buddha. Under returned back to Nepal in 1940 with even greater the advice and inspiration of Ven. Chandramani, he re- confidence in the Buddha’s teachings. He engaged himself ordained into Theravada Buddhism from the Tibetan more vigorously in the task of promoting of the recently tradition in 1930 and was named Sramanera karmasheel. revived Buddhism in Nepal. He studied Theravada Buddhist doctrines, philosophies and basic ceremonial activities with Ven. Chandramani Slowly but steadily Pragyananda’s work inspired following his ordination and decided to visit Nepal with the people of Nepal. Many disciples including men and the aspiration of propagating the Buddha’s teachings under women took ordination in Buddhism under his guidance the Umbrella of Theravada Buddhism. At that time, the and helped to revive Buddhism in the country. To this local Buddhists had long forgotten the true convention day, Theravada Buddhism has been reintroduced for of Nepal being the birthplace of the Buddha. Instead they

May 2009 Lumbini 10 almost 70 years in Nepal as a result of the dedication of Pragyananda in his lifelong promotion and propagation of Buddhism. Apart from religious propagation, he engaged in various social developments, in particular gender equality and caste eradication. He was a pioneer and incomparable person whose influence and impact on Some sayings from Tipitaka Buddhist Nepal will remain forever. He travelled far and wide forging close relationships abroad and became an There are five contemplations which ought to be inspirational person for a new generation of Theravada practised by everyone, bhikkhus or layfolks, men and Buddhism. He was awarded title ‘Ariya Dhammarakkhita women: Nepal Buddhasasana Vamsalankara Siri’ in 1991 by 'I am certain to become old. I cannot avoid ageing'. government of Myanmar and title ‘Bhasa Java’ from Nepal Bhasa Association of Nepal. He was an influential writer, 'I am certain to become ill and diseased. I cannot avoid poet, traditional physician, artist, multi-linguist, great illness'. speaker, figure head of Theravada Buddhism and one of I am certain to die. I cannot avoid death'. the most important and influential persons of the modern 'All things dear and beloved will not last. They will era in Nepal. Although, he departed this life in 1993 in be subject to change and separation'. peace, he left his legacy of spreading Buddhism in the country of its birth for later generations to carry on. 'My kamma (past and present actions) is my only property, kamma is my only heritage, kamma is the only cause of my being, kamma is my only kin, my Sayings/Quototations only protectiton. Whatever actions I do, good or bad, I shall become their heir.' ~ Anguttara Nikaya, Pancaka Nipata Pali (para 57) Actions speak louder than words. “Merely to call oneself a Buddhist is of little value.” – HH Dalai There are three root causes for the origination of Lama actions (kamma): Greed, hatred and ignorance. An action done in greed, hatred and ignorance will ripen Teach by Example. “Before teaching others, before wherever the individual is reborn; and wherever the changing others, we ourselves must change. We must action ripens, there the individual reaps the fruit be honest, sincere and kind hearted.” - HH Dalai (vipaka) of that action, be it in this life, in the next Lama life or in future existences. ~ Anguttara Nikaya, Tika Nipata Pali (para 38) The Goal of Religion. “The purpose of religion is not to build beautiful churches or temples, but to "True friends are rare to come by these days; a show cultivate positive human qualities, such as tolerance, of friendship very often hides some private ends. generosity and love.” – HH Dalai Lama Man's mind is defiled by self-interest. So, becoming disillusioned, roam alone like a rhinoceros." “If anyone calls you a fool, agree immediately because ~ Khaggavisana Sutta it is true.” – Soko Morinaga Roshi "Not by birth does one become an outcast, not by birth does one become a brahmana; Do as you would be done by. “Since at the beginning By one's action one becomes an outcast, by one's and end of our lives we are so dependent on others’ action one becomes a brahmana." kindness, how can it be that in the middle we neglect ~ Vasala Sutta kindness towards others.” – HH Dalai Lama "As a mother even with her life protects her only “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the child, so let one cultivate immeasurable loving- truth is putting on its shoes.” – Mark Twain kindness towards all living beings." ~ Metta Sutta

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11 Lumbini May 2009 What’s ‘Noble’ About ‘Four Noble Truths’?: The Meaning of ‘Ariya’ in the Pali Canon Dr. Sunil Kariyakarawana Buddhist Chaplain to HM Forces 1.Introduction: term as in ‘Ariya-sacca’’’ ‘noble truth’, ‘Ariya-magga’’’ ‘noble path’, ‘Ariya-puggala’ ‘noble being’ in many a ‘The Four Noble Truths’ (catu ariya sacca) is the most discourse with a clear emphasis of the term and frequency central teaching in Buddhism. This embodies and of its use. encompasses all other teachings that the Buddha expounded within forty-five years in His dispensation of 1.1 Common vs. Specific use of ‘Ariya’ Dhamma. Following is a short exposition of this teaching as presented in the Pali Canon: The term ‘Ariya’ is often translated into English as ‘noble’ and therefore prima facie it tends to convey a general sense 1.The Noble truth of suffering (dukkha-sacca) that denotes something of a higher value, something 2.The Noble Truth of the origin of suffering altruistic and spiritual as it is found in many contexts as (samudaya-sacca) in: ‘noble deed’ or ‘noble friend’ ‘noble personality’ etc., 3.The Noble Truth of the cessation of suffering meaning something or someone with higher spiritual (nirodha-sacca) qualities. 4.The Noble Truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering (magga-sacca) The term ‘Ariya’ too, particularly in the Indian context, had acquired a common connotation similar to the “Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of suffering: birth meaning covered by the word ‘noble’ in English. In is suffering; aging is suffering; illness is suffering; death is Bhrahmanism, for instance, the term ‘Ariya’ refers to the suffering; union with what is displeasing is suffering; ‘noble’ people who migrated to India. In the Sanskrit separation from what is pleasing is suffering; not to get literature including Maha-bharat and Gita, term ‘Arya’ is what one wants is suffering; in brief, the five aggregates used in a similar sense. subject to clinging are suffering". Something that is common to both ‘Arya’ in Sanskrit “Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the origin of and ‘noble’ in English thus is that they both can refer to suffering: it is this craving which leads to renewed existence, mundane ‘things’ or ‘people’ which even fall outside of accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and ‘spiritual domain’. Hence the general use of the term. Such there; that is craving for sensual pleasures, craving for uses certainly are subjective in the sense that they describe existence, craving for extermination”. the perspective of the person who uses it. In other words, the ‘nobility’ used in such contexts may not have any “Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the cessation universal application and therefore fail to retain any of suffering: it is the remainderless fading away and objective sense or connotation. cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, non-reliance on it”. In Buddhism, however, the term ‘Arya/Ariya’’’ has a specific spiritual meaning. Buddha does not seem to use this in “Now this, bhikkhus, is the noble truth of the way leading any sectarian sense. In the very first sermon of the Buddha, to the cessation of suffering: it is this Noble Eightfold in Dhamma Cakka Pavattana Sutta (SN 56.11 ) Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right ‘Setting in Motion the Wheel of the Dhamma’ for action, right livelihood, right effort, rightmindfulness, example, this term is used by the Buddha to denote a very right concentration”. specific spiritual sense and experience as described as (SN 56.11) follows:

Much has already been written about the teaching of the “Thus, bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard before, there ‘Four Noble Truths’ by many scholars and practitioners arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, from several different angles and perspectives. The aim of and light”. this short essay is to re-visit the term ‘Ariya’ in this context which is also extendable to other contexts in the Pali Canon “ So long, Bhikkhus, as my knowledge and vision of these and investigate why the Buddha has consistently used this ‘Four Noble Truths’ as they really are in their ‘three phases’

May 2009 Lumbini 12 and ‘twelve aspects’ was not thoroughly purified in this word that is being qualified by ‘Ariya’ (ariya-sacca) is also way, I did not claim to have awakened to the unsurpassed not a propositional truth: perfect enlightenment in this world with its devas, Mara, and Brahma, in this generation with its ascetics and “ The Word satya (Pali sacca) can certainly mean Brahmins, its devas and humans. But when my knowledge truth, but it might equally be rendered as ‘real’ or and vision of these ‘Four Noble Truths’ as they really are ‘actual thing’. That is, we are not dealing here with in their three phases and twelve aspects was thoroughly propositional truths with which we must either purified in this way, then I claimed to have awakened to agree or disagree, but with four ‘true things’, or the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world with realities, whose nature, we are told, the Buddha its devas, Mara and Brahma, in this generation with its finally understood on the night of his awakening. ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans. The (p.60). knowledge and vision arose in me, unshakable is the liberation in my mind. This is my last birth, now there is Gethin’s intuition is quite correct here and the truths that no more renewed existence” are being discussed here are not the kind of truths that we (SN 56.11) ordinarily talk about. Nor can ‘Ariya’ the qualifying term to such ‘realities’ therefore be a set of values or sectarian 2. Issue epithets. A reasonable characterisation of ‘Ariya-saccas, therefore, would be something like: ‘absolute realities’ Though the commentators interpret the compound mainly because they denote something which go far ‘Ariya-sacca’’’ in the above passage to mean: “truth of the beyond any worldly descriptions of things. Noble one(s)”, “truth for a noble one”, i.e., “truth that will make one a noble” or some times, “noble truth”, Better rendering of the Pali term ‘Ariya-sacca thus seems the above description of the Buddha’s enlightenment to be ‘absolute reality’ rather than ‘noble truths’, ‘Holy’, experience certainly raises serious questions in interpreting ‘ennobling truths’. the term ‘Ariya’ as ‘noble’ given its connotations described above. Buddha’s description of the ‘paticca-samuppada’ (theory of dependent origination) which is intrinsically connected Prof. Peter Harvey (2003) in his article on “The Ennobling to the ‘second absolute truth’ (samudaya-sacca) (the noble Realities of the Pain and Its Origin: Reflections on the truth of the Origin of Suffering) by ‘four’ following terms First two ariya-saccas and their Translations” notices this strengthen this point further: problem: 1. tathata ‘objectivity’ “ It actually sounds a little odd to call a truth ‘noble’ 2. avitathata ‘absence of exceptions’ and the reason the ‘noble ones’ (who are either 3. anannatata ‘invariability’ partially or fully enlightened: Stream enterers, 4. idha-paccayata ‘conditionality’ once-returners, non-returners and Arahants, along with the Buddhas) are as they are is precisely In the Maha-Satipattana Sutta (DN22) ‘The Great because they have had insight into Ariya saccas: Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness, the ‘Ariya- ‘seeing’ them with the Dhamma-eye is what makes magga’’’ this path is described as the ‘only’ or ‘single-most’ a person a stream-enterer or higher”. path (ekayana) for liberation. (P.360) In semantic terms, translating and trying to understand Then he proposes to translate the term as “ennobling ‘Ariya-sacca’’’ as ‘noble-truths’ thus seems not only to dilute truths”: the intended meaning of the term but also can be quite misleading. All descriptions of the term ‘Ariya’ that the “... I thus prefer ‘ennobling truth as an apposite Buddha makes as shown above are unique set of rendering for ariya-sacca. In ‘an introduction to Buddhism, circumstances which may better be characterised as I translated ariya as Holi, to emphasize the numinous “absolutes” and therefore trying to fit such realities into quality associated with this word in Buddhism, but am subjective and sectarian words like ‘noble’ or ‘Holy’ does now happier talking of the ‘ennobling Truths’. not seem to be appropriate. ( P360-370) Why has then the Buddha Himself chosen to use such a Dr. Rupert Gethin (1998) correctly points out that the common term like ‘Ariya’ which obviously has been in

13 Lumbini May 2009 the contemporary use in the language and loaded with in order to fully understand it one has to follow it all the different connotations? Answer to this question indeed way through in one’s pratice. points to something quite interesting concerning the Buddha’s choice of language. 4.“Absolute” qualities of ‘Arya’’’

3.‘Re-defining’ the terms When the Buddha’s description of the ‘Arya-saccas’ are carefully considered they all point to a set of “absolute” One remarkable characteristic that emerges in the early unchangeable and unchallengeable realities. Such Buddhist scriptures is the Buddha’s use of language. characteristics as birth, aging, decaying, death/demise and Though the repetitions are quite common (possibly to our responses to things are indeed absolute realities. They avoid ambiguities) it is always quite concise, cohesive, are not just propositional truths, or subjective realities but connected to one’s own experience. Buddha always chose are universal characteristics which are universal afflictions. the simple language which is quite expressive and economical. The discourses therefore are formulaic. There’s For example, consider how the Buddha defines birth: hardly any term, word or phrase that can be newly added to or subtracted from a given discourse to make the “ And what, monks, is birthbirth? In whatever beings, of presentation better. whatever group of beings, there is birth, coming-to-be, coming forth, the appearance of the aggregates, the The other important fact is that the Buddha chose to acquisition of the sense-bases, that monks is called birth.” ascribe new meaning to old terms which some scholars describe as “filling new wines in old bottles! Most of the “ And what is agingaging? In whatever beings, of whatever group terms Buddha used, specially the religious or spiritual of beings, there is aging, decrepitude, broken teeth, grey terms, were the terms that were already in use in the hair, wrinkled skin, shrinking with age, decay of the sense- contemporary society. Buddha however in most cases faculties that, monks, is called aging. added new meanings to them. karma, dharma, mokshya, bhrahmana are few examples. They all had different “ And what is deathdeath? In whatever beings, of whatever group semantic value in the contemporary philosophical and of beings, there is a passing away, a removal, a cutting-off, religious context. Buddha kept the same terms but gave a disappearance, a death a dying, an ending, a cutting off new definitions to them. The content of the terms in the of the aggregates, a discarding of the body, that, monks, is Buddha dhamma thus vary significantly to the ordinary called the death. meaning of the terms. ....

The practical value of that is it enables ordinary masses to The above definitions of ‘birth’, ‘aging’ ‘decay’, ‘death’ and relate to the concept easily and then the Buddha points other characteristics are not simple occurrences of things how the use of such word in his teaching differs from the that we ordinarily call by those terms. The list include far rest of the other teachings/spiritual paths. more things than that. For example, appearance, cessations and disappearance of a sense faculty is also called by those Consider the term ‘Karma’ for instance. It literally means terms respectively because they exhibit the same sorts of intentional/volitional ‘action’ ‘deed’. However this was characteristics as other commonly called ‘birth’, ‘aging’ and understood in the Hindu context as ‘pre-destination’, the ‘death’. Nothing come under those fundamental effects of something that is not possible for an individual characteristics fail to escape the list whether it is animate to change. The Buddha however, reverted to the original or inanimate or an ‘object’ or an ‘animate being’. literary meaning of the word and formulated His theory of ‘Kamma’ on that basis by re defining the existing term. This clearly shows that the Buddha was referring to certain fundamental characteristics/phenomena that He captured Brahmana may not necessarily be a person born to a high through His divine eye, through the direct experience with caste (from the mouth of the creator Brahma) as it was the help of His own enlightenment wisdom. traditionally understood by people, but one who well- conducts one’s life developing higher spiritual qualities. 5.Conclusion

‘Ariya’ too seems to be such another term that the Buddha The term ‘ariya-sacca’’’ thus seems to capture much more used creatively. While it is possible for the term ‘ariya’ to than what we ordinarily understand from the English term capture the ordinary spiritual virtues of the existing term, ‘noble’. The description of Dhamma as ‘come and see’

May 2009 Lumbini 14 not ‘come and believe’ stems from this ‘absolute reality’ which is to be grasped by every individual by oneself. If some thing is a reality one must see it for oneself even the a''4sf''' cfFFFFFvfFFFFF Buddha cannot show it to one. For this reason the Buddha ufkLs] i0f[ k;fO| { stated ‘Buddhas are there to show the path, one has to make all efforts to see it. n08g, o ' s]

References: a4sf' cfvfFF Gething Rupert (1998) The Foundations of Buddhism, zflGtsf cfvfFF Oxford University Press, 1998, p.60 afRg;' usf+ ] ;fystf{ Harvey Peter (2003) “The Ennobling Realities of the Pain and Its clg efOrf/fsf{ cfvfFF Origin: Reflections on the First two ariya-saccas and their Translations. Vajiragnana Upahara Volume, Published ljZjaGwTjsf' cfvfFF by London Buddhist Vihara, p.305-321. nlDagLdf' ansf] ] zflGtsf ] lbof] Digha Nikaya, Mauruce Walshe Translation 1995, Wisdom Publication, Boston gkfn] / gkfnLsf] ] uf/j} Majjhima Nikaya, Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi xfd }| elddf' eujfg hGdsf] ] lyof] Translation, Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy Sri Lanka cfh ;;f/nfO+ { xl//x] 5g] \ oL cfvfFF Samyutta Nikaya, (56.11) Bhikkhu Bodhi Translation 2000. cxsf/LnfO+ { ;Tdfudf{ Nofpg Wisdom Publication Boston cledfgLnfO { ;rtgf] hufpg He who knows that enough is oL cfvfx?dfFF ljzfn cfsfz cf6+ g\ ;S5 enough will always have enough. oL cfvfx?dfFF l;u+ } kYjL[ a:g ;S5 ~ Lao Tse ~ dfgj ;Eoftdf kdsf]| ] ;befj\ al9/x5] zflGtsf ] ctlKt[ dgsf ] cGt/df ul9/x5]

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zflGt ;fxfb} tf{ / kd|] hg' s/f' gkfnnfO] { rflxPsf ] 5 uftd} a4sf' ] bz] gkfn] We wish all readers Happy nlDagLaf6' zflGtsf ] k/jfx?] pl8/x5g] \ a4sf' cfvfFF clg zflGtsf k/jfx?] 2553rd Buddha Jayanti! Plzofsf ] HoftL] / aXdf08df| kmlnPsf} zflGt WjgLx?

cxf slt /fdf| ] ;x;AbL| JeddoJeddo PrintPrint slt dL7f ] a4sf' ] cflzjrg{ tL a4sf' aflr/xFF sf] cfvfx?FF Unit 32, 63 Jeddo Road, London, W12 9ED tL a4sf' xfl;/x+ sf] cfvfx?FF TEL/FAX: 020 8740 7926 ;f/f ;;f/df+ kdsf]| ] uLt ufpb+ } gflr/x+ sf] cfvfx?FF . E-mail: [email protected]

15 Lumbini May 2009 auuu4 kuul0fu {{dfsf{{{ ]] ]]] lq;Gb]]z]]] nvs] M kf| . :jl:t /Tg zfSo lklG;kn,| Ps8] dL] ckm ;s] 8]| x6;{ \ cfh jzfv} zSnu kl0fu df{ cyft{ a4u kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbg ;Dk0fu { ug {] u/sf] ] Joxf/f] pNnv] ul//fvsf] ] a4u hLjgL l;t ;DalGwt dfgj hutn ] gkfnsf] dxf1fgL zfSokqu dxfdfgj uftd} k:tsx?dfu kfOG5 . of ] k/Dk/f cfh efln] ;Dd klg j4nfOu { clt cfb/ tyf >4f elQmsf ;fy ljZjs } k/d kHou zfSox?n ] dflg rnfOg{ } cfO/xsf] 5g \ . u?sfu ] ?kdf :d/0f ub5g{ \ . To;n} ] of ] a4u kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbg klRr; zo jif { cl3 klg dflg; a9fu ] xgu ,] z/L/df /fu] ;Dk0f { dfgj hutsf ] nflu cltg } >4f elQmsf ] kljq lbg u nfUg ] cGtdf slx] ;do kl5 dg { kg {] ;anfO} { yfxf gePsf] xf ] . zflGtsf cugfos| dxfdfgj zfSodlgu uftd} a4sfu ] cjZo klg lyPg xfnf] t/ /fhsdf/u l;4fy { jfxs] To; hLjgLsf ] kd| v tLgj6f 36gfx?l;t ;DalGwt o; jzfv} u ;DalGw s;n} ] klg ulxl/P/ larf/ u/sf] lyPgg \ . zfSo kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbgnfO { 7nf" ] >4f / elQmsf ;fy ljZj e/df g} /fhsdf/u l;4fyn{ ] ;f ] s/fdfu Ps lrQn ] lrGtg dgg a4u hoGtLsf ] ?kdf dgfOG5 . u/L hGd, h/f, Joflw d/0f bvaf6Mu dlQmu kfpg ;lsg] zfSodlgu uftd} a4sfu ] hGd cfh eGbf l7s @^#@ jif{ lgjf0f{ dfu { kQf nufpg ulx/f ] lrGtg dgg ubf { ;a} cl3 zfSox?sf ] c~hg ;Djt \ ^* df - xfn zfSox?sf] s/fsfu ] jfw] ePsf ] lyof ] / ;j1ftf{ ePsf lyP . ;Dos c~hg;Djt \ @&)) jif { xf ] _ cyft{ O:jL kju { ^@# -xfn ;jf+ lw] 1fg xfl;n u/sf] lyP / zfSox?sf ] c~hg ;Djt\ O:jL ;g \ @))( xf ] _ sf ] jzfv} zSnu kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbg xfn !)# jzfv} zSnu kl0fu dfs{ } lbgdf zfSo /fhsdf/u l;4fyn{ ] gkfn] ;l3o+ u0ftGq /fHosf ] tflnxjf} lhNnf cGtut{ kg{] jflw] 1fg kfKt| u/L a4u ePsf lyP . dfgj dfqsf ] nflu tTsflng slkna:t u u0f/fHosf ] Ps ;Gb/u zfGt tyf jflw] 1fg kfKt| u/L a4u eO { lgjf0f{ kfKt| ug {] ;lhnf ] dfusf{ ] dgdfxs] nlDagLu zfnfBfgdf] ePsf ] lyof ] . hGdgf ;fy ?kdf a4ofgsfu ] kltkfbg| u/sf] lyP . ;ft kfOnf lx8sf] ] / pQ/ lbzf lt/ x/] /] Ps cfnf+} dfq l;4fy { uftdn} ] jflw] 1fg nfe u/sf] ] lbg klg olx jzfv} 78fP/ 'cUuf ] xf ] d:;L nfs:;] ' cyft{ ;;f/sf+ ] cu | k?ifu kl0fu dfs{ } lbg lyof ] / o; } ;Gbedf{ jzfv} kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbg d g } x u eGg ] l;xgfb+ u/sf] lyP . To; anf] cfsfzaf6 l;4fy { sdf/sfu ] ;dodf klg clt kljq lbgsf ] ?kdf dfGg] kikjli6[ ePsf ] lyof ] / /fhsdf/ l;4fynfO{ { ;flx] nlDagL u u u rng lyof ] eGg ] To;tfsfsf ] ;f:s+ lts[ k/Dk/fnfO { lgofn/] pBfgsf ] ;fgf ] kfv/Ldf] gxfOu lbPsf lyP hgu kfv/L] cfh xbf] { ki6| xgu cfpb5+ . ;hftfu gfdsL Ps cfOdfO { ;f ] lbg efln] klg l;4fy { kfv/L] gfdn ] kl;4| 5 . nlDagLsfu ] gxfOu { wjfOu { u/L ;kmf z4u eO { Ps xhf/ ufOsf{ ] bwu /fvL dgdfxs] ;fnfBfgdf] hGdg u ePsf ] afwL;Tj] afns /fh IfL/ efhg] ksfPsL / jfwLj] If[ dlgu tk:of ul//xsf] a4u sdf/nfOu { :jod+ \ /fhf ;4fu wg] ;lxt 7nf" ] nfjf n:s/ cfO{ ofuL] - l;4fy { sdf/nfOu { _ jIf[ bjtf] yfgL ;ju 0f{ kfqdf IfL/ wdwfdu l;t /fhsdf/sfu ] xiffTnf;sf{] ;fy l;Gb/u ] hfqf efhg] bfg u/sL] lyOg . ;flx] z4u Xbon ] IfL/ ksfO { bfg u/L /fhejgdf leqfOPsf ] lyof ] . hg jf:tjdf l;4fysf{ ] u u/sL] efhg] ux0f| u/kl5] dfq l;4fy { uftdn} ] jflw1fg] klxnf ] hGdfT;jsf] ] ?kdf dgfOPsf ] klxnf ] hGd hoGtL xf] kfKt| u/sf] lyP . IfL/ efhg] ug {] u/fpg ] ;f:s+ lts[ eGgdfu cTolQmu gxfnf] . k/Dk/f cfh ;Dd klg sfod g } 5 . jzfv} kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbgdf nlDagLsfu ] dgdfxs] ;fnfBfg,] slknj:t u / bjbx] ed0fdf| IfL/ efhg] ug {] rng zfSo tyf af4} ux:yL[ 3/x?df cfh cfPsf kl;4| lrgLof ofqL xogu ;fun+ ] klg jzfv} kl0fu dfnfO{ { efln] klg sfod } 5 . a4u ljxf/x?df IfL/ efhg] bfg ug{] a4u hGdsf ] kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbg egL pNnv] u/sf] ] kfOG5 . o; krng| klg sfod g } 5 . kfo| ;a } h;f ] af4x?n} ] ;f ] lbg lx;fan ] klg ljrf/ ubf { ;jk{ yd| jzfv} kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbg IfL/ efhg] g } ub5g{ \ . cfkmgf\ dg] a4nu ] h:t } hut ;Tj /fhsdf/u l;4fysf{ ] hGd hoGtL slknj:t u / bjbx] kf0fLsf| ] lxtsf ] nflu Psfu | ug { ;sf;] \ / jflw] 1fg nfe jf;Lx?af6 dgfOPsf ] blvG5] . o; bli6sf[ 0fdf] /fhsdf/u ug { ;Sg ] dfudf{ nfUg ;sf +} eGg ] sfdgf ub5g{ \ . l;4fysf{ ] hGdfT;j] x/s] jif { dgfpb+ } cfPsf ] lyof ] eGg] a4u 7fp + 7fpdf+ cfkm } hfg u eO { dfgj dfqsf ] lxt / sNof0fsf] k:t5| . Pj + l/tn ] @( jif { ;Dd /fhsdf/ l;4fysf{ ] hGdfT;j] u nflu wdb{ zgf] ub {} ;anfO} { p4f/ ug {] sfodf{ ktfln;} jif{ dgfOPsf ] / ;f ] hGdfT;jdf] blx lrp/f kmnkmnu cflb bfg

May 2009 Lumbini 16 ljtfpg u ePsf ] lyof ] . ljleGg 7fpdf+ nfvfsf+} ] ;Vofdf+ lbgsf ] hGd hoGtL dgfpg ] xf ] / olb uftd} a4nu ] a4Tju leIf u ;3+ agfO { cfkmgf\ ] dfgj wd { krf/| u/sf] lyP. pxfn+ ] kfKt| u/sf] ] lbgnfO { dfq dfGg ] xf ] eg ] of ] @%(@ cf +} a4Tju wd { ux0f| ug {] ;DaGwdf o;f ] eGg u ePsf ] 5 . of ] s;n} ] kflKt| lbg xf ] . To;n} ] a4sfu ] lgjf0fsf{ ] lbg lng ] xf ] eg ] of] egsf] ] eGbdf,} slx + nv] sf] ] eGbdf} sgu } s/fu ] :jLsf/ gug {u . @%%# cf +} lgjf0f{ lbg xf ] . To;n} ] a4sfu ] hGd, a4Tju kflKt| / / cfkmg\ } ljjsn] ] hflr+ lnP kl5 dfq } :jLsf/ ug {u egL lgjf0fsf{ ] lbgx? dWo ] kl5sf ] ;f ] lbgnfO { lnP/ :d/0fsf] sfnfd ;qdfu eGg u ePsf ] 5 . To:t } ;an} ] cfkmgf\ ] wd { 7nf" ] nflu gof + ;Djt a4u ;Djt+ \ krngdf| NofOPsf{ ] lyP . To;n} ] 5 eGg u :jfefljs xf ] t/ hgu wddf{ rf/ cfo { ;To xG5u cfhs } lbg tdfd af4x/msf} ] nflu a4u ;Djt+ \ @%%# sf ] gj Tolx wd { g } ;j>{ i7] xG5u . oxL pkbz] cfkmgf\ ] hLjgsf] jif { klg xf ] . To;n} ] zfSodlgu uftd} a4sfu ] :d/0fdf oL tLg clGtd ;dodf lzio xgu cfPsf ;ebu | kl/jfhsnfO| { lbgu j6f kd| vu 36gfx? ;d6L] ljZjsf dxfdfjg, zflGtgfos ePsf ] lyof ] . cGtdf cfkmgf\ ] l7s cl:;cf +} jifsf{ ] ;vbu uftd} a4sfu ] k0ou ltlysf ] ?kdf ljZj dfgj ;fdbfosfu ;t\ pknIodf jzfv} kl0fu dfs{ } lbg szLu gu/df bOu j6f{ zfn u?sfu ] :d/0fdf xfdL a4u hoGtL dgfpb+ } cfO/x{ sf] 5f +} . ?vsf ] aLrdf kyd,| lAtLo, ttLo[ / rtyu { Wofg u/L c~hg zfSodlgu uftd} a4u Ps Pltxfl;s] dxfdfgj xgu \ . xfdf| ] ;Djt \ !$* df lgjf0f{ kfKt| ug {u ePsf ] lyof ] . o;nfO{ gkfns] }]] /fli6o` ljeltu xgu \ . To;n} ] jzfv} zSnu kl0fu dfsf{ ] dxfkl/lgjf0f{ eGb5g \ . lbg dgfOg ] of ] a4u kl0fu df{ cyft{ a4u hoGtLs. ] kl0fu df{ xfdf| ] jzfv} kl0fu df{ /fhsdf/sfu ] zeu hGdfT;jsf] ] lbg lyof ] g} bzsf] ] /fli6o` dxfT;jsf] ] Ps uf/jdo} lbg xf ] . cfhsf} ] To;dfly ;flx] lbgdf cgQ/u ;Dos] ;Djflw] 1fg xfl;n lbgdf a4sfu ] hGd, pxfn+ ] a4Tju kfKt| ugePsf{u ] / pxfsf+ ] u/L a4u xgu u ePsfn] ] Pp6f kljq lbgsf ] ?kdf csf {] dxTj dxf kl/lgjf0f{ klg ePsfn] ] cfhsf ] lbgnfO { hGd hoGtL, ylk ;f ] lbgsf ] dxTj a9g\ u :jfefljs g } lyof ] . km/L] jzfv} cGwsf/?kL df/ dflysf ] ljho u/sf] ] ljho lbj; / kl0fu dfs{ } lbg szLgu/dfu zfSox?sf ] c~hg ;Djt \ !$* cfkmgf\ ] z/L/ Tofu u/L lgjf0f{ kfKt| u/sf] ] k0ou ltlysf] df lgjf0f{ kfKt| u/L jzfv} kl0fu dfsf{ ] dxTj dfly dxTj ?kdf dgfOG5 . jzfv} kl0fu df{ cyft{ a4u kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbgnfO{ ylkGb } a4sfu ] hLjgsf tLgj6f dVou dVou 36gfx?l;t ;o+ Stu /fi6 ` ;3n+ ] klg dxTj lbO { cGt/fli6o` :t/sf ] uf/} ;DalGwt xgu uof ] . a4sfu ] lgjf0f{ kl5 ;flx] jzfv} jdo lbg ePsfn] ] cfhsf ] lbg ljZje/df g } jzfv} lbj;sf] kl0fu dfnfO{ { a4sfu ] :d/0fdf a4u hoGtLsf ] ?kdf dgfpg ?kdf a4u hoGtL dgfOG5 . xfdL gkfnLnfO] { of ] eGbf 7nf" ] yfn ] . jzfv} kl0fu dfnfO{ :jfof+ kGxL,u kiku kl0fu df,{ uf/jsf} ] s/fu c? s ] xGYofu ] / < To;n} ] of ] lbgnfO { /fli6o` xfgfdfTr/L,u jzfv} lbj; , a4u kl0fu df{ / a4u hoGtL cflb dxfT;jsf] ] ?kdf wdwfdu ;u+ dgfpg u xfdL ;asf} ] bfloTj cflb ljleGg gfd af6 klg ;Daf+ wg] ug {] / pT;j dgfpg] klg xgu cfPsf ] 5 . ub5g{ \ . dxfdfgj zfSodlgu uftd} a4sfu ] zflGt ;Gb+ zn] ] ljZjdf cfh zfSox?sf ] c~hg;Djt \ @&)) jif { sf ] jzfv} zSnu cfh zflGtsf ] lj:tf/ e/x} sf] ] 5 To;n} ] xfd }| gkfnsf] Ps kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbg @)^^ ;fn azfv} @^ ut ] zlgjf/ cyft{ Pltxfl;s] dxfdfgj, xfdf| ] /fli6o` ljeltu zfSo dlgu uftd} O:jL{ ;g \ @))( d ] ( tfl/ssfa] zfv} kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbg dxfdfjg a4sfu ] zflGt ;Gb+ z] xfdLn ] klg Xbo af6 } kfngf u//] uftd} a4u hGd, ;Djflw] 1fgnfe / dxfkl/lgjf0f{ ePsf] cfhsf ] nfstflGqs] gkfndf] zflGt NofO { lasl;t gkfn] lbg, jzfv} a4u kl0fu dfsf{ ] cltg } kljq lbg xf ] . uftd} agfpg u cltg } cfjZos ePsf ] 5 . hfuf } cfhsf ] nfstflGqs] a4sfu ] hLjgL l;t clt 3lgi6 ;DaGw /xsf] ] oL tLg j6f gkfndf] lx;f,+ czflGt ,clajs,] cTofrf/ / cGwsf/ x6fcf} dxTjk0fu { 36gfx?l;t ;DalGwt o; kljq lbgsf ] :d/0fdf / zflGtsf ] ksfz| NofO { x/fe/f lasl;t gkfn] agfcf } . dgfOg ] dxT;jnfO { a4u hoGtL eGb5f +} . of ] a4sfu ] hLjg hfuf } cfh a4u kl0fu dfsf{ ] lbgdf xfdf| ] /fli6o` ljeltu zfSo d/0fl;t ;DalGwt ePsfn] ] a4sfu ] lgdf0f{ kl5 k0ou ltlysf] dlgu uftd} a4sfu ] zflGt ;Gb+ z] xfdLx?n ] klg Xbo af6} ?kdf dgfOb+ } cfO/xsf] ] xf ] . To:n} ] o; jif { xfdL @%%# cf+} kfngf u//] nfstflGqs] gkfndf] zflGt Nofpg ] k0f| u/f }} . a4u hoGtL dgfpb+ } 5f +} . olb hGdsf ] lx;fan ] dfq hoGtL ljZjd } zflGtsf ] la:tf/ xf;] \ . ejt u ;Jj dund+ \ . c:t.u dgfpg ] xf ] eg ] of ] dxfdfgj uftd} a4sf ] @^#@ cf +} jif{ u (nvs] klJns ouy SofDk;sf kuj { ;xfos So.Dk; kd| uv klg xuguxuGyf.])

17 Lumbini May 2009 Continue from page 9 ... good food and drink, lovely music, pleasant company, microscopes. Likewise, planets and galaxies were it not etc., and we want more and more of these things. We try for telescopes. If we do not train our minds to have calm to prolong these enjoyments and we try to get more and attention and insight, then we would remain ignorant of more of these pleasures using a great deal of effort, time the true nature of things. We are familiar with the fear and money. And yet somehow, we are never completely that we experience when we see a snakelike object at night satisfied. If we eat our favorite food again and again we while taking a walk or a dark shape while lying in bed. soon get bored with it. We try another kind of food, we That snakelike object may be just a piece of rope or garden like it, enjoy it and again we get bored with it. We go on hose and the dark shape in your bedroom may be just a to look for something else; we get tired of our favorite jacket on a hanger. Yet it is due to our ignorance and piece of music. We get tired of our friends [and lovers]. delusion that we get scared and quicken our steps or hide We look for new experiences. Sometimes this chase after under our blanket and perspire with fear. If there were pleasant experiences leads one to very unhealthy forms of light we would not react with fear, we would not be fooled behavior such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity and or deluded by the snakelike object or the dark shape. We sexual obsession, and compulsive shopping. It is said that would see the piece of rope or garden hose or the hanging trying to satisfy one’s desire for sense pleasures is like jacket for what it is. drinking salt water to satisfy one’s thirst: rather than being quenched, our thirst only increases. Specifically in Buddhism, we are speaking about ignorance The desire for wealth or material possessions is involved regarding the self or ego, taking the self as real, as a with three major sufferings or problems. The first one is permanent, fixed, separate and independent entity. This is the problem of getting it. You have to work a lot and save the fundamental cause of suffering or Dukkha. We see enough to buy that house or car or whatever, there is the the world in terms of “I”, “me”, and “mine”. We take our mortgage and interest payments, etc. Secondly, there is body or ideas or feelings as a self or belonging to a self, an the worry, anxiety of protecting and maintaining these independent ego just as we take the snakelike object for a things. And finally, there is the suffering of losing them dangerous creature or the dark shape for a ghost or a because sooner or later these material possessions will fall potential assailant. Upon enlightenment, the Buddha apart. Likewise, our friends and family members do not realised that the mind-body process was a constantly last forever. changing phenomenon and that it did not contain a fixed, Despite all the problems and frustrations of life we all independent and permanent self. We are not the same crave for eternal existence. This is due to our strong person [mentally and physically] from one moment to attachments to family and friends, material possessions, the next. That the self seems unchanging and separate from money, power, fame and status, also, to our knowledge the rest of existence is a deep-rooted illusion. The Buddha and experiences, to our ideas and ideals, views and opinions, realised that the self was only a result of conditioning, concepts, theories, beliefs and superstitions. We cling to based on memory, past experiences and accumulated the past, to bad memories and negative emotions, to our knowledge, that “I”, “me”, and “mine” were just concepts likes and dislikes, and we worry about the future. We in the mind, created by the thinking process. Because of cling to our bodies and appearance, hence the fear of this illusion of a solid and independent ego-personality, growing old and unattractive, getting fat, growing bald, separate in time and space, we become very self-centered, losing our hair, dying, and so on. Clinging to that which we take ourselves very seriously, and we spend a lot of is changing and impermanent results in suffering and dis- effort trying to satisfy, protect and magnify this self and ease. Then there is the desire for annihilation or non- its images. From this notion of self, we have persistent existence, what we might call the desire for eternal death. craving and attachment, aversion and ill will. We become This expresses itself as nihilism and in suicide. Craving attached to our likes and dislikes, to our ideas and opinions, for existence is one extreme. etc. Craving for non-existence is another extreme. Out of the root and trunk of ignorance and delusion grow The root cause of craving and attachment, grasping and self-centered craving and clinging—desire, greed, envy, clinging, is ignorance and delusion. Ignorance is not seeing jealousy, hatred, competitiveness, pride, arrogance, conceit, things as they really are, or failing to understand the reality the whole lot. All these branches grow from the root and of experience or the reality of life itself. Without the right trunk of ignorance and delusion, and these branches bear conditions, right training and right instruments we are the fruits of suffering, discontentment, dis-ease. unable to see things as they really are. For example, none According to the Buddha’s analysis, all the troubles and of us would be aware of radio waves if it were not for the problems in the world, from little personal conflicts and radio receiver. None of us would be aware of bacterial quarrels in the family to big wars between tribes, nations and microbes in a drop of water if it were not for and countries arise out of this selfish craving. From this point of view, all economic, political and social problems

May 2009 Lumbini 18 are rooted in this self-centered grasping and clinging, greed of life is gone. You’ll be at peace with the world. When we and attachment. [And yet we all have to die and leave this see beyond self or ego, beyond “me” and “mine”, we no world some day]. Great statesmen and diplomats who longer cling to happiness and security, and then we can be try to settle disputes and talk of war and peace only in truly happy, secure and free. terms of political and economic terms touch on the superficialities, the surface of human conflict, and never go deep into the real root-cause of the problem. Mankind Condolences has been trying to solve its problems with a mind that is the problem. The mind, the restless, confused, reactive, We would like to express our sincere condolence to untrained mind is the problem-maker, the creator of selfish Bhante Sumana for the loss of his maternal desires, hatred and delusion. grandmother unexpectedly. We wish her eternal peace Nirvana. In summation, the cause of suffering is ignorance and delusion, a false way of looking at reality. Thinking and Anicca Vata Samkhara believing the impermanent is permanent, the changing is (All Conditioned Phenomena are impermanant) fixed and concrete, that is ignorance and delusion. LNBDS family Thinking there is a permanent, unchanging, separate and independent self when there is not, that is ignorance and delusion. From ignorance is born craving, greed, hatred, fear, insecurity, jealousy, and countless other sufferings. Truly oneself is one's own The path to liberation is the path of looking deeply at things in order to truly realise the nature of change and refufge, what other refuge could impermanence, the absence of a separate, isolated self, and there be? With oneself the interdependence of all things. This ancient path is the way to overcome ignorance and delusion. Once ignorance well - tamed one acquires a is overcome, suffering/dis-ease is transcended. This is true refuge hard to obtain. liberation. There is no need for a self for there to be liberation. Once you understand nonself, then the burden (Dhammapada 160)

From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear; for him who is wholly free from craving there is no grief, much less fear. (Dhammapada 216)

We extend our heartiest wishes for your prosperity & longevity on the auspicious occasion of 2553rd Buddha Jayanti. Greenwich London College

142 Greenwich High Road Greenwich, London SE10 8NN Tel: 020 8293 9374

emal: [email protected] web: www.greenwichlondoncollege.co.uk

19 Lumbini May 2009 LNBDS (UK) Activities and News 2008/2009

His Holiness Dalai Lama’s Visit to UK, May 2008 To mark the occasion, the society’s publication LUMBINI His Holiness Dalai Lama visited UK in May 2008 and magazine was released. Newly formed UK Gyanmala gave teachings in London, Nottingham, Oxford etc. Some Bhajan Khalah with participation of Angela Singh, Binod of our members including Venerable Bhikkhu Sumana Shrestha, and Chorus-Nani Shova, Rasana, Anu, Reema, (at Oxford) and Venerable Bhikkhu Sujan (at Nottingham) Rabindra and Sharmila Singh sang devotional songs in attended his teachings at all three venues. His main between the speeches. Music was provided by: Keyboard teaching was given at Nottingham Arena, Nottingham - Krishna Chakhun, Tabala - Sabin Rajbhandari and Guitar from 24th -28th May which was attended by up to 10,000 - Binod Shrestha. Gyanmala Bhajan (Garland of wisdom people of all nationalities and faiths. Huge numbers of devotional songs) was used by early Theravada Buddhist Nepalese attended his teaching on the last day i.e. 28th monks in Nepal to propagate Buddha’s message to May 2008 and took Vajrasattva Initiation. On Sunday, ordinary people at a time when any Buddhist teaching 25 May 2008 afternoon His Holiness answered questions especially in Nepal Bhasha was strictly prohibited. At put to him by students of Nottingham. This discussion present it has become an established and effective method was facilitated by TV presenter Jonathan Dimbleby. Besides for propagating Buddhism in many Nepalese cities. These giving teachings His Holiness also met with spiritual and devotional songs are sung at many Buddhist sites in political leaders during his visit. Kathmandu and outside Kathmandu not only at special occasions but also regularly at some important religious 2552nd Buddha Jayanti Celebration in London, UK sites. (Sunday, 1 June 2008) Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK) Dr. Swayambhu Tuladhar thanked every one for their help celebrated 2552nd Buddha Jayanti (Buddha Day) on and for attending the celebration and Mr. Amrit Sthapit Sunday, 1st June 2008 at the Priory Community Centre, conducted the programme professionally with comments Acton, London. The celebration started with procession in English and Nepali where appropriate. of newly acquired Buddha statue in a ceremonial way and The hall was decorated appropriately with Buddhist flags placed with due respect in the stage for every one to pay and tankas for the occasion. About 200 people from Nepal, homage - Buddha Puja by devotees followed by India, Britain and other countries attended the ceremony. administration of Panca Sila by Venerable Bhikkhu People from the press and director- public relation of Sumana and chanting according to Tibetan tradition by Nepali Samaj UK took notes and photos for their Venerable Lodro Thaye. Nepalese ambassador to the UK respective publications. Sujan and Ujwal Shakya provided Mr. Murari Raj Sharma gave a brief speech in which he an excellent sound system. After the formal programme emphasized the importance of Buddha’s teaching in the every one enjoyed the traditional Nepali refreshment present day world. ‘Kheer’ generously provided by members and well-wishers of the society. During the occasion Venerable Bhikkhu Sumana gave a talk on ‘Buddha’s message of peace’ and Venerable 28th June 2008 British Landscape Conference at Sochu from Japanese Zen tradition gave an inspiring talk Taplow, Berkshire. on ‘Six Parmita (six perfections)’ which would be Venerable Bhikkhu Sumana and Dharma attended three Bodhisattvas need to practice. Venerable Bhikkhu Sujan day British Buddhist Landscape Conference organised conducted guided meditation and emphasized the jointly by Network of Buddhist Organisation (UK) and importance of regular meditation for calming the mind Institute of Oriental Philosophy on Saturday, 28-6-08 at and preparing oneself for the day in a better mood. A Taplow Court in Taplow near Maidenhead, Berkshire. As DVD of Namo Buddha prepared and presented in an a part of ethnicity and Buddhism session Bhikkhu Sumana international Buddhist conference in Taiwan in 2007 by spoke on Buddhism and Nepalese. About 70 Buddhists Mr. Min Bahadur Shakya, Director of Nagarjun Institute from various Buddhist traditions in Britain attended the was shown. Namo Buddha is one of the holy Buddhist conference. sites in Nepal where the prince Mahasatva fed his own flesh to a hungry tigress who was about to eat her own Sunday 27th July 2008 cubs because of extreme hunger. Meeting of members of society’s website committee took place in Slough.

May 2009 Lumbini 20 Saturday, 16th August 2008 Felicitation Ceremony at Monastery, Hemel Hempstead and the society’s president London Buddhist Vihara, Chiswick, London Venerable Bhikkhu Sumana. About 15 people attended Members of the society attended a ceremony at the this one day meditation consisting of sitting and walking London Buddhist Vihara, Chiswick, London to felicitate meditations followed by question and answer session Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera in his towards the end. appointment as the head of the Vihara and the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain by the Supreme Sangha Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay)’s UK visit Council of Malwatta Chapter, Kandy, Sri Lanka. The August 2008 ceremony was attended by heads of various monasteries, representatives of Christian tradition and Interfaith, dignitaries and huge number of supporters and lay devotees of the Vihara.

Sunday, 17th August 2008 one day Meditation in Kent.

A one day meditation retreat was held on Sunday 17th August 2008 at the residence of Dinesh and Rasana As a part of world tour to conduct retreats in different Bajracharya in Tunbridge Wells, Kent led by Ajahn countries famous Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh visited Santacitta and an Anagarika from Amaravati Buddhist UK in August 2008. He gave public talk to a packed

Membership of the Society Members whose valued memberships are due for renewal and new members who would like to support the society by becoming a member are requested to complete the section below and return it to the society’s address 11 Mulberry Drive, Slough, Berkshire, SL3 7JU with your cheque made out to Lumbini Nepalese Buddha Dharma Society (UK) or LNBDS (UK). We very much hope you will support the society by renewing your membership or by becoming a member.

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21 Lumbini May 2009 audience of more than 1000 people of all nationalities at Buddhism in the UK organised by World Buddhist Friends’ meeting house at Euston, London on the evening Foundation on Sunday, 28-9-08 at Brent Town Hall, of Friday, 22 August 2008. He also conducted retreat from London. On behalf of the society and representing Nepal 24th – 29th August at Nottingham University. Two of our the members of Koseli Cultural Group Mr. Madan Thapa society’s members attended both the public talk in played Mangal Dhoon in Sarangi (a classical Nepalese London and the week long retreat along with other 750 musical instrument) accompanied by guitar from Mr. people of various nationalities and faiths at Nottingham Amar Lama. Mangal Dhoon is a music played in many University. Most memorable part of this retreat was an auspicious occasions in Nepal. environment of peace and quiet that prevailed throughout the retreat; and his excellent teachings. He is also visiting Italy, India and Vietnam to conduct retreats this year.

Wednesday, 10th September 2008 one day conference on contemporary religions in Swindon. Dharma and Pramila attended this one day conference on Contemporary religions in Britain on Wednesday, 10-9- 08 organised by Prof Peter Jarvis of Surrey University for University of Third Age (U3A) mature students at Swindon. Speakers from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism spoke on their traditions. Dharma spoke on basic Buddhism. About 50 mature students attended the conference. The conference ended Sunday, 22nd November 2008 with the question and answer session to the panel of all LNBDS (UK) executive committee meeting took place the speakers of the day present. at Dinesh and Menika’s residence in Manor Park, London.

28th September 2009 Buddhist Legacy in the United Saturday, 20th December 2008, one day meditation at Kingdom Conference at Brent Town Hall, London. London Buddhist Vihara, Chiswick. Members attended the Buddhist Legacy in the United Members attended one day meditation retreat led by Kingdom, a centenary celebration of establishment of visiting Bhikkhu Bhante Kovida at the London Buddhist

He who wishes his own happiness by causing pain to others is not released from hatred, being himself entangled in the tangles of hatred. (Dhammapada 291)

We wish all readers Happy 2553rd Buddha Jayanti! Lotus Restaurant (Nepalese Cuisine)

2 New Broadway Uxbridge Road, Hillingdon, UB10 0LH Tel: 01895 234 679, 01895 251 991

Contact: Shubha Ratna Shakya and Shyam Darshan Kunwar

May 2009 Lumbini 22 Vihara, Chiswick, London. About 60 people attended this Friday, 24th April 2009 unique and inspiring meditation retreat consisting of Society’s president Venerable Bhikkhu Sumana attended sitting, walking meditation and dynamic meditation third Loktantra Day Celebration on Friday, 24 April 2009 combined with Qi Gong for physical fitness and at Nepalese Embassy in London developing mindfulness. Sunday, 3rd May 2009 Sunday, 22nd February 2009 LNBDS executive committee meeting took place at Durga LNBDS (UK) executive committee meeting took place and Ram Babu’s residence in Charlton, London. at Sri Saddhatissa International Buddhist Centre, Kingsbury, London.

April 2009 Celebration to mark 50 years of Search in the Right Place monkshood of Bhikkhu Nyanapurnika A week long celebration with various programmes was There was once a great master who used to teach held at Vishwo Shanti Vihara in New Baneswhor, his students in many different and sometimes Kathmandu to mark the 50 years of monkshood of bizarre ways. One evening, they arrived at his Venerable Nyanapurnika Mahasthavira. Delegates from house to find him crawling around on the various overseas countries and Nepal attended the ground. There was a lamp by the front door ceremony. Some of the members of the society also and he was moving around within the lamplight. attended this function. A temporary ordination of 50 Bhikkhus took place to mark the occasion. “Master, what are you doing?”

th 6 April 2009 “Searching for the front door key.” Dharma met with president and members of Young Men’s Buddhist Association of Nepal at their head office at Lok They all joined him, crawling around, hunting Kirti Mahavihar, Kinhubahi, Iti, Lalitpur during his brief for the key. visit to Nepal. A very fruitful discussion about Buddhism in general and Buddhism in the UK in particular were After quite a long period of fruitless search, one discussed. He also discussed how our two organisations student asked, can cooperate with each other in promotion of Buddha’s teaching for the benefit of mankind. The meeting felt that “Master, where were you when you lost the regular contacts and meetings like this one whenever key?” possible will further improve our already well established relationship for the benefit of both our societies even “Over there.” though our society is much smaller and comparatively new as compare to YMBA which is well established and had He pointed to a distant spot, which was in lot of experience and recognised internationally. Dharma darkness. handed over some Dharma books on behalf of the society to YMBA president Mr. Sanu Raja Shakya for their library. “Then why on earth are you hunting for it here?”

April 2009 Essay Competition on Buddhist Attitude “Oh, because it’s much easier to hunt here in to Conflict. the light.” Our society is holding an essay competition on the subject “Buddhist Attitude to Conflict” in collaboration with This is what we all tend to do. Due to ignorance, Buddhist Youth Group of Kathmandu in Nepal. It is and confusion, we strive to find happiness in completed in April and prize distribution will be held in places where it cannot be found. We keep on near future. As in 2007 cash prizes will be awarded to doing this because superficial appearances those who came First, Second and Third in the delude us into thinking that it can be found where competition and Letters of Appreciation will be given to we seek it- within the world of desires and all those who participated in the essay competition. senses. Happiness cannot truly be found there, Dharma met with Chairman of Buddhist Youth Group so our efforts lead instead to suffering. of Kathmandu Mr Tri Ratna Manandhar and had a very useful discussion on the progress of the essay competition.

23 Lumbini May 2009 Lumbini Dana Fund

The LNBDS has launched the Lumbini Dana Fund in May 1998 on the auspicious day of Buddha jayanti. The purpose of the fund is to put the Buddha’s teachings to practice. Karuna (compassion) is to extend our kindness to others in need. The fund intends to help poor and orphans in Nepal. Up to now the society has sponsored six orphans from Ramechhap village regularly since 1998, five destitute Cancer patients from Nepal in 2003 and regular donation to Dallu orphanage in Patan from January 2009. LNBDS hopes to expand such noble work. The LNBDS’s aim is to concentrate on education, health and religion. The LNBDS depends on your generosity to make this task a success.

Please make cheque payable to the Lumbini Dana Fund LNBDS (UK), 11 Mulberry Drive, Slough, Berkshire, SL3 7JU

Like an image seen in a mirror, which is not real, the mind is seen by the ignorant in a dualistic form in the mirror of habit energy ... When it is thoroughly understood that there is nothing but what is seen of the mind itself, discrimination ceases. (Lankavatara Sutra, ch. 3, LXXIV, pages 74-5)

Wishing All A Happy and A Prosporous Buddha Jayanti 2553 May Knowledge of Wisdom prevail the world

BUDDHA VIHARA FUND APPEAL With aim of having our own Vihara for the benefits of all we have stablished a Vihara Fund.

Vihara in Pali, the language used by the Buddha himself, means a dwelling place where Buddhist monks and nuns dwell. In the Buddhist text it is written that to build or participate in any form in building a Vihara is considered highly meritorious act. This is the spiritual place where the nobleness is practised by many for the harmonious life and salvation of all

We would like to appeal to all our well-wishers to help the society to fulfil its aim by donating whatever you can. Please forward your donations to LNBDS (UK), 11 Mulberry Drive, Slough, Berkshire SL3 7JU. Cheque should be made payable to Lumbini Buddha Vihara FundFund.

Please forward your donation to the society. Payable to Lumbini Vihara Fund and send to LNBDS (UK) 11 Mulberry Drive, Slough, Berkshire, SL3 7JU

May 2009 Lumbini 24