Lotus Sutra: Analyze and Practise in Life

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Lotus Sutra: Analyze and Practise in Life International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN: 2319-7064 ResearchGate Impact Factor (2018): 0.28 | SJIF (2018): 7.426 Lotus Sutra: Analyze and Practise in Life Nguyen Ngoc Tho Research scholar in Acharya Nagarjuna University, Nagarjuna Nagar, Guntur-522510, Andhra Pradesh, India Abstract: The Lotus Sutra leads one to a complete and thorough transformation of the life of Samsara suffering from discrimination, anger, and conflict by the real Buddha's knowledge. The change is powerful, explosive, radical as many words in the sutras have said that. Perhaps because of that, this sutra called the "king of all Sutra", with a lot of useful sections praising the merits of receive and retain this sutra in life. 1. Introductionn dharma sphere has Infinite meaning. We have chosen only some thoughts to enter the Dharma Flower initially. The Lotus Sutra is considered to be the most excellent sutra at the end of the time before the Buddha's passing away as Day today, the Lotus Sutra Sutra is still to be translated, the full development of the lotus Buddha-nature. printed the most, are the most recited, taught most. At the very least, at our usual level, the longevity, recitation, and Just by looking at one aspect of the Lotus Sutra, that is, exposition of the Dharma Sutras are a direct influence on seeing everyone as a lotus, then seeing it is full of all the family and society, which will make individuals and precepts, samadhi, piety, full of compassion, compassion, society better. It is also the wish of all of us. alms, and rings. Humiliation until wisdom is la. When we see another person as a lotus flower, even though we are All become Buddha still in the mud, believing in the Buddha's teaching "I am a In the second Media there are the following: Buddha, you will become a Buddha", thus we have enough The Buddhas have gone away respect, love, and patience, self, of course, we can If people feel good communicate with the energy and joy that sustain and save Beings like that all these forms of life. All have become Buddhism. The Buddhas have gone away Thus, the view of knowing "the lotus" has completely People make offerings of relics transformed the relationships between people, with the Erect the tower world and with oneself. Gold, silver and mixed pear Mother of pearl with agate The Lotus Sutra talks about the lotus, which is closest to the The pure serenity lotus in oneself, the qualities of the lotus in oneself. The Cultivate in the towers, secret of the reader reciting, speaking and speaking of Or there are stone temples Dharma is to declare, enlightenment, and enter that lotus Fried sheep and aquaria flower of Buddha-nature in himself. A Dharma practitioner Honey and other wood is the person who lives the lotus in himself, making it bigger Mud bricks and tiles, and bigger, giving more fragrance and supporting the lotus Or in the open field bloom in others. Land into the pagoda tower Rings to kidding At the heart of the Lotus Sutra is "True emptiness Sand group into Buddha tower Wonderful existence". It does not tilt much toward the True People like that 1 emptiness, in terms of wisdom like the Prajna Paramita All have become Buddhism. Sutra system. It is the union of relative truth (the world position) and the absolute truth (the base), of the central Everyone acts, gestures, even unconsciously, to the Buddha location (no difference of opinion) and post-favourable area and the Buddha-nature, then "have to become a Buddha." (difference of view). In short, it is Buddhahood. Why is that? Why is it that just a small act of body, speech, and mind towards Buddha will make people "all Buddha"? Dharma Flower is a "True emptiness - Wonderful What makes a small gesture also make people immediately existence". True emptiness is to mentioned of wisdom. correspond to Buddha-nature? Because each person is Wonderful existence is the field of compassion. Only the already a Lotus, already inherent Buddha nature, just a little word "Wonderful" in the sutta speaks to the unity of True movement towards the Buddha, immediately that Lotus emptiness and Wonderful existence, of wisdom and blossomed, which directly corresponds to Buddha-nature compassion. ingrained in him. Here we only talk about some ideas of Dharma flowers to 1 Excerpts from the Lotus Sutra are taken from the apply in everyday life. We should remember before saying translation of the Most Venerable Tri Tinh or the Venerable the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha said the Sutra of Infinite Tri Quang's translation, with reference to the Chinese Meaning and entered the Sutra of Infinite Meaning. That version of the Lord Cuu Ma La Cross and some English means that the Dharma Sutra has Infinite meanings like the versions Volume 8 Issue 10, October 2019 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Paper ID: ART20201809 10.21275/ART20201809 516 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN: 2319-7064 ResearchGate Impact Factor (2018): 0.28 | SJIF (2018): 7.426 But that is only the seeing of our part. But in the Lotus beings in the Three Worlds (Anuttara Purusa-Damya- Sutra, the Buddha wanted to open, show, enlighten and Sarathi),... "Next in the chapter sixth of prophecy, penetrate (enlightenment, eyesight, enlightenment, enter) to Mahakassapa was predicted to Buddha and then to the give us the knowledge of the Buddha (knowledge of the disciples, to all the Arahants also became the Buddha. Then Buddha), or we can call the understanding of Dharma. With chapter 13: Devotion to Encouraging, the Bhikkhunis are the phrase "all into Buddha," the sutta wants to introduce us also registered to become Buddha. Thus, the Buddha had to that part of that knowing of Buddha, the experience of "said that all the Shravakas were registered". Dharma. Therefore, after listening to, we have to think and meditate to feel somewhat that knowledge of the Dharma. In the chapter Bodhisattva never denigrates - the precursor From the standpoint of consciousness, the seeing of the of Shakyamuni - to those who scolded, beaten and threw Dharma Flower is omniscient; all knowledge is intellect. stones at him, he ran away "but still loudly said: I dare not Awake wave arises and vanishes, arousing, and dissolving despise them, because they will all become Buddhas.” This in mind. Thus, a wave of wake up it was water, it "all is the extensive prophecy for the four of them. became Buddha". Especially in the chapter 12: Devadatta, the Buddha gave In a nutshell, the understanding of the Lotus sutra is topredict for Devadatta, who was considered to be knowing on the Effect rather than in the Cause. Practicing extremely evil for destroying the first Buddha, to will the Lotus sutra is cultivating on the Effect, not from the become Buddha. Also in that chapter, Dragon Female, non- Cause to go to Effect. This is a very important distinction in human being is a female body who became a Buddha before saying that the Dharma Flower Sutra is the "king of sutras." all of them. The Mahayana sutras in the early period are the paths from Cause to Effect, from the Paramitas to many generations to In the chapter 10: Dharma Master, "Buddha told the Buddhahood. Therefore that can be called the Men vehicles. Medicine King: After Buddha passes away if anyone hears This sutra deploying right on the Effect of the Buddha, and the Lotus Sutra, may be read a verse, a sentence full of that Effect, the Buddha-nature, is inherent in every being. meaning, or comes only to have one reciting joy well, the Tathagata will also predict for all to become Buddha." We see to thought the Door of Origin already present here. Let us take the example of the Door of Origin and the Door Through the above, we see all people, all sentient beings, of Trace: Shakyamuni Buddha was the Door of Origin of regardless of the spiritual hierarchy, regardless of whether the Buddha, who became Buddhahood from beginningless they are male or female, regardless of karma, no to infinite, and in terms of the Door of Trace, the historical discrimination of wisdom or ignorance, regardless of Buddha appeared. In the world, more than 2500 years ago. species be predict into Buddha. With the predict for all The Door of Origin is the essence; the Door of Trace is the being became Buddhas, we have a glimpse of what the phenomenon. To us beings, the Door of Origin is "each of meaning of the one vehicle is, and what its greatness is. us has a Buddha nature," and the Door of Trace is our current path to that Buddha-nature. Do we believe that we are a Lotus Sutra, an entity that was originally a lotus flower of Buddha nature and that the work In the insight of the Lotus Sutra, both the Door of Origin, of its life is just the development of that lotus flower, that is, the Buddhahood inherent in every being - and the Door of living one's mind is the mind of the Dharma Flower? I am Trace - the cause of practice of each being - are united, the the Dharma Flower and my body is Dharma Flower. time between Cause and Effect no longer exists. Now, the phenomenal and the physical world are the same, so when Living a life that has been predict means living the Buddha we meet people we can all say, "They have all become nature of one's life and the manifesting virtues of that Buddha." Living in this way means living in the Lotus Buddha nature, namely compassion, joy, compassion, Sutra.
Recommended publications
  • The Lotus Sutra: the True Nature of the Buddha
    Main | Other Chinese Web Sites Chinese Cultural Studies: The Lotus Sutra: The True Nature of the Buddha from Edward Conze, ed., Buddhist Texts through the Ages, (New York: Harper Torchbooks, 1964), pp 142-143, repr in Albert M. Craig, et al, The Heritage of World Civilizations, 2d ed., (New York: Macmillan, 1990), p. 310 [Craig Introduction] The Lotus Sutra (Saddharmapundarikasutra), "Lotus of the True Dharma" is one of the best-loved sacred texts of Mahayana Buddhism. Its original Sanskrit text was translated many times into Chinese (the earliest being in 225 CE), as well as into Tibetan and other languages. The following passage is key one for the development of the idea of the cosmic form of the Buddha. Note that "Tathagata" "(which means "Thus Gone", ie, having achieved Nirvana) is one of the titles of Buddha. Fully enlightened for ever so long, the Tathagata has an endless span of life, he lasts for ever. Although the Tathagata has not entered Nirvana, he makes a show of entering Nirvana, for the sake of those who have to be educated. And even today my ancient course as a Bodhisattva is still incomplete, and my life span is not yet ended. From today onwards still twice as many hundreds of thousands of Nayutas of Kotis of aeons must elapse before my life span is complete. Although therefore I do not at present enter into Nirvana (or extinction), nevertheless I announce my Nirvana. For by this method I bring beings to maturity. Because it might be that, if I stayed here too long and could be seen too often, beings who have performed no meritorious actions, who are without merit, a poorly lot, eager for sensuous pleasures, blind, and wrapped in the net of false views, would, in the knowledge that the Tathagata stays (here all the time), get the notion that life is a mere sport, and would not conceive the notion that the (sight of the) Tathagata is hard to obtain.
    [Show full text]
  • Notes and Topics: Synopsis of Taranatha's History
    SYNOPSIS OF TARANATHA'S HISTORY Synopsis of chapters I - XIII was published in Vol. V, NO.3. Diacritical marks are not used; a standard transcription is followed. MRT CHAPTER XIV Events of the time of Brahmana Rahula King Chandrapala was the ruler of Aparantaka. He gave offerings to the Chaityas and the Sangha. A friend of the king, Indradhruva wrote the Aindra-vyakarana. During the reign of Chandrapala, Acharya Brahmana Rahulabhadra came to Nalanda. He took ordination from Venerable Krishna and stu­ died the Sravakapitaka. Some state that he was ordained by Rahula­ prabha and that Krishna was his teacher. He learnt the Sutras and the Tantras of Mahayana and preached the Madhyamika doctrines. There were at that time eight Madhyamika teachers, viz., Bhadantas Rahula­ garbha, Ghanasa and others. The Tantras were divided into three sections, Kriya (rites and rituals), Charya (practices) and Yoga (medi­ tation). The Tantric texts were Guhyasamaja, Buddhasamayayoga and Mayajala. Bhadanta Srilabha of Kashmir was a Hinayaist and propagated the Sautrantika doctrines. At this time appeared in Saketa Bhikshu Maha­ virya and in Varanasi Vaibhashika Mahabhadanta Buddhadeva. There were four other Bhandanta Dharmatrata, Ghoshaka, Vasumitra and Bu­ dhadeva. This Dharmatrata should not be confused with the author of Udanavarga, Dharmatrata; similarly this Vasumitra with two other Vasumitras, one being thr author of the Sastra-prakarana and the other of the Samayabhedoparachanachakra. [Translated into English by J. Masuda in Asia Major 1] In the eastern countries Odivisa and Bengal appeared Mantrayana along with many Vidyadharas. One of them was Sri Saraha or Mahabrahmana Rahula Brahmachari. At that time were composed the Mahayana Sutras except the Satasahasrika Prajnaparamita.
    [Show full text]
  • What Is the Mind?
    What is the Mind? Understanding the nature, characteristics, and functioning of our mind forms the basis of Buddhist philosophy and practice. The Buddha says in the Dhammapada: All things are preceded by the mind, led by the mind, created by the mind According to Buddhism we consist of nothing but mind and body, and it is the mind that is responsible for all our happiness and our suffering. Our body may be healthy and all the external circumstances may work to our advantage, but it depends on our mind to translate this into happiness. Conversely, we may be sick and everything else may go wrong, but we need the mind to translate this into unhappiness and suffering. The mind has the power to determine pleasure and displeasure; it is the sole motivator of all our actions and the creator of our experiences and reality. However, at present we do not have much control over our mind and thus over feeling happy and avoiding problems and difficulties. Hence in order to gain more control we need to transform the mind, an undertaking that must be preceded by the understanding that it can be transformed. Such an understanding in turn can only arise if we cultivate knowledge of the mind, if we gain knowledge that goes far beyond academic study. It is extremely important that learning about the mind, its definition, its divisions, and different functions does not lead to a mere intellectual understanding, but is taken deeper to an experiential level. Only if we obtain a firsthand knowledge of our habitual thought patterns, of the mental events that occur within specific mindsets, etc., can we begin to make changes.
    [Show full text]
  • The Saddharmapurdarikaas the Prediction
    The JapaneseAssociationJapanese Association of Indian and Buddhist Studies Journal oflndian and Buddhist Studies Vol. 64, No. 3, March 2016 (113) The Saddharmapurdarika as the Prediction ofAll the Sentient Beings' Attaining Buddhahood: With Special Focus on the Sadaparibhata-parivarta SuzuKi Takayasu 1. The Aim ofThis Paper While the Saddharmapu4darika (Lotus SUtra, SP) repeatedly teaches that any person who speaks against the SP or against those who keep, read, preach, or explain the SP must experience severe retribution, it also teaches that those who keep, read, preach, or explain the SP shall attain a perfection of the six sense organs, i.e., eye, ear, nose, tongue, bodM and mind. These understandings have been considered the basis of the i] fo11owing teaching in Chapter lg ofthe SP (Sada'paribhUta-parivarta, SP 19): ' There once existed a Bodhisattva named SadaparibhUta. He did not read or preach any Buddhist scripture at all, but only continued to give prediction of attaining buddhahood to all the Buddhists who held the mistaken idea that they had already attainedenlightenment. ' Because ofhis prediction he was abused by them. ' They went to hell on the grounds of having abused him. The now arises: question ' Why did they have to experience such severe retribution for abusing Sada- paribhUta who did not read or preach the SP. To this question the fbllowing interpretation has been general: ' The SP is the prediction of all the sentient beings' attaining buddhahood. Through giving of this prediction to the Buddhists SadaparibhUta had essentially read and preached the SP. It is true that Chapter lo of the 5P predicts that all the sentient beings can attain buddhahood.
    [Show full text]
  • Gandharan Origin of the Amida Buddha Image
    Ancient Punjab – Volume 4, 2016-2017 1 GANDHARAN ORIGIN OF THE AMIDA BUDDHA IMAGE Katsumi Tanabe ABSTRACT The most famous Buddha of Mahāyāna Pure Land Buddhism is the Amida (Amitabha/Amitayus) Buddha that has been worshipped as great savior Buddha especially by Japanese Pure Land Buddhists (Jyodoshu and Jyodoshinshu schools). Quite different from other Mahāyāna celestial and non-historical Buddhas, the Amida Buddha has exceptionally two names or epithets: Amitābha alias Amitāyus. Amitābha means in Sanskrit ‘Infinite light’ while Amitāyus ‘Infinite life’. One of the problems concerning the Amida Buddha is why only this Buddha has two names or epithets. This anomaly is, as we shall see below, very important for solving the origin of the Amida Buddha. Keywords: Amida, Śākyamuni, Buddha, Mahāyāna, Buddhist, Gandhara, In Japan there remain many old paintings of the Amida Triad or Trinity: the Amida Buddha flanked by the two bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Fig.1). The function of Avalokiteśvara is compassion while that of Mahāsthāmaprāpta is wisdom. Both of them help the Amida Buddha to save the lives of sentient beings. Therefore, most of such paintings as the Amida Triad feature their visiting a dying Buddhist and attempting to carry the soul of the dead to the AmidaParadise (Sukhāvatī) (cf. Tangut paintings of 12-13 centuries CE from Khara-khoto, The State Hermitage Museum 2008: 324-327, pls. 221-224). Thus, the Amida Buddha and the two regular attendant bodhisattvas became quite popular among Japanese Buddhists and paintings. However, the origin of this Triad and also the Amida Buddha himself is not clarified as yet in spite of many previous studies dedicated to the Amida Buddha, the Amida Triad, and the two regular attendant bodhisattvas (Higuchi 1950; Huntington 1980; Brough 1982; Quagliotti 1996; Salomon/Schopen 2002; Harrison/Lutczanits 2012; Miyaji 2008; Rhi 2003, 2006).
    [Show full text]
  • Meeting of Minds.Pdf
    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Translation:Wang Ming Yee Geshe Thubten Jinpa, and Guo-gu Editing:Lindley Hanlon Ernest Heau Editorial Assistance:Guo-gu Alex Wang John Anello Production: Guo-gu Cover Design:Guo-gu Chih-ching Lee Cover Photos:Guo-gu Kevin Hsieh Photos in the book:Kevin Hsieh Dharma Drum Mountain gratefully acknowledges all those who generously contributed to the publication and distribution of this book. CONTENTS Foreword Notes to the Reader 08 A Brief Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism By His Holiness the 14 th Dalai Lama 22 A Dialogue on Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism His Holiness the 14 th Dalai Lama and Venerable Chan Master Sheng Yen 68 Glossary 83 Appendix About His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama About the Master Sheng Yen 2 Meeting of Minds Foreword n May 1st through the 3rd, 1998, His Holiness the O 14th Dalai Lama and Venerable Chan Master Sheng Yen presented In the Spirit of Manjushri: the Wisdom Teachings of Buddhism, at the Roseland in New York City. Tibet House New York and the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association sponsored the event, which drew some 2,500 people from all Buddhist traditions, as well as scholars of medicine, comparative religion, psychology, education, and comparative religion from around the world. It was a three-day discourse designed to promote understanding among Chinese, Tibetan, and Western Buddhists. His Holiness presented two-and-a-half days of teaching on Tibetan Buddhism. A dialogue with Venerable Master Sheng Yen, one of the foremost scholars and teachers of Chinese Chan (Zen) Buddhism, followed on the afternoon of the third day.
    [Show full text]
  • The Lotus Sutra: Opening the Way for the Enlightenment of All People
    The Lotus Sutra: Opening the Way for the Enlightenment of All People he Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai of China disciples known as voice-hearers and cause- analyzed the content and meaning of awakened ones), women and evil persons from all the Buddhist sutras, concluding the possibility of ever becoming Buddhas. And Tthat the Lotus Sutra constitutes the highest even for those considered capable of attaining essence of Buddhist teachings. Buddhahood, the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings He classified the Lotus Sutra as conveying presume that the process of doing so requires the teachings that Shakyamuni Buddha countless lifetimes of austere practice. There expounded toward the end of his life, which is no recognition that an ordinary person can the Buddha intended to be passed on to the attain Buddhahood in this single lifetime. The future for the enlightenment of all people. Lotus Sutra, on the other hand, makes clear T’ien-t’ai also pointed out that teachings the that all people without exception possess a Buddha expounded prior to the Lotus Sutra Buddha nature and indicates that they can should be regarded as “expedient means” attain enlightenment in this life, as they are, and set aside. In the Immeasurable Meanings in their present form. Sutra, considered an introduction to the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni says: “Preaching the Law in various different ways, I made use of the Outline and Structure of power of expedient means. But in these more the Lotus Sutra than forty years, I have not yet revealed the truth” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and n analyzing the contents of the Lotus Sutra, Closing Sutras, p.
    [Show full text]
  • Number 3 2011 Korean Buddhist Art
    NUMBER 3 2011 KOREAN BUDDHIST ART KOREAN ART SOCIETY JOURNAL NUMBER 3 2011 Korean Buddhist Art Publisher and Editor: Robert Turley, President of the Korean Art Society and Korean Art and Antiques CONTENTS About the Authors…………………………………………..………………...…..……...3-6 Publisher’s Greeting…...…………………………….…….………………..……....….....7 The Museum of Korean Buddhist Art by Robert Turley…………………..…..…..8-10 Twenty Selections from the Museum of Korean Buddhist Art by Dae Sung Kwon, Do Kyun Kwon, and Hyung Don Kwon………………….….11-37 Korean Buddhism in the Far East by Henrik Sorensen……………………..…….38-53 Korean Buddhism in East Asian Context by Robert Buswell……………………54-61 Buddhist Art in Korea by Youngsook Pak…………………………………..……...62-66 Image, Iconography and Belief in Early Korean Buddhism by Jonathan Best.67-87 Early Korean Buddhist Sculpture by Lena Kim…………………………………....88-94 The Taenghwa Tradition in Korean Buddhism by Henrik Sorensen…………..95-115 The Sound of Ecstasy and Nectar of Enlightenment by Lauren Deutsch…..116-122 The Korean Buddhist Rite of the Dead: Yeongsan-jae by Theresa Ki-ja Kim123-143 Dado: The Korean Way of Tea by Lauren Deutsch……………………………...144-149 Korean Art Society Events…………………………………………………………..150-154 Korean Art Society Press……………………………………………………………155-162 Bibliography of Korean Buddhism by Kenneth R. Robinson…...…………….163-199 Join the Korean Art Society……………...………….…….……………………...……...200 About the Authors 1 About the Authors All text and photographs contained herein are the property of the individual authors and any duplication without permission of the authors is a violation of applicable laws. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY THE INDIVIDUAL AUTHORS. Please click on the links in the bios below to order each author’s publications or to learn more about their activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhism As a Pragmatic Religious Tradition
    CHAPTER 1 Introduction: Buddhism as a Pragmatic Religious Tradition Our approach to Religion can be called “vernacular” . [It is] concerned with the kinds of data that may, even- tually, be able to give us some substantial insight into how religions have played their part in history, affect- ing people’s ability to respond to environmental crises; to earthquakes, floods, famines, pandemics; as well as to social ills and civil wars. Besides these evils, there are the everyday difficulties and personal disasters we all face from time to time. Religions have played their part in keeping people sane and stable....We thus see religions as an integral part of vernacular history, as a strand woven into lives of individuals, families, social groups, and whole societies. Religions are like technol- ogy in that respect: ever present and influential to peo- ple’s ability to solve life’s problems day by day. Vernon Reynolds and Ralph Tanner, The Social Ecology of Religion The Buddhist faith expresses itself most authentically in the processions of statues through towns, the noc- turnal illuminations in the streets and countryside. It is on such occasions that communion between the reli- gious and laity takes place . without which the religion could be no more than an exercise of recluse monks. Jacques Gernet, Buddhism in Chinese Society: An Economic History from the Fifth to the Tenth Centuries 1 2 Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal Whosoever maintains that it is karma that injures beings, and besides it there is no other reason for pain, his proposition is false.... Milindapañha IV.I.62 Health, good luck, peace, and progeny have been the near- universal wishes of humanity.
    [Show full text]
  • Empty Cloud, the Autobiography of the Chinese Zen Master Xu
    EMPTY CLOUD The Autobiography of the Chinese Zen Master XU YUN TRANSLATED BY CHARLES LUK Revised and Edited by Richard Hunn The Timeless Mind . Undated picture of Xu-yun. Empty Cloud 2 CONTENTS Contents .......................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements ......................................................................... 4 Introduction .................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER ONE: Early Years ............................................................ 20 CHAPTER TWO: Pilgrimage to Mount Wu-Tai .............................. 35 CHAPTER THREE: The Journey West ............................................. 51 CHAPTER FOUR: Enlightenment and Atonement ......................... 63 CHAPTER FIVE: Interrupted Seclusion .......................................... 75 CHAPTER SIX: Taking the Tripitaka to Ji Zu Shan .......................... 94 CHAPTER SEVEN: Family News ................................................... 113 CHAPTER EIGHT: The Peacemaker .............................................. 122 CHAPTER NINE: The Jade Buddha ............................................... 130 CHAPTER TEN: Abbot At Yun-Xi and Gu-Shan............................. 146 CHAPTER ELEVEN: Nan-Hua Monastery ..................................... 161 CHAPTER TWELVE: Yun-Men Monastery .................................... 180 CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Two Discourses ......................................... 197 CHAPTER FOURTEEN: At the Yo Fo & Zhen Ru Monasteries
    [Show full text]
  • Violent Karma Stories in Contemporary Sinhala Buddhism
    Journal of Buddhist Ethics ISSN 1076-9005 http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/ Volume 27, 2020 Violent Karma Stories in Contemporary Sinhala Buddhism James Stewart Deakin University Copyright Notice: Digital copies of this work may be made and distributed provided no change is made and no alteration is made to the content. Reproduction in any other format, with the exception of a single copy for private study, requires the written permission of the author. All en- quiries to: [email protected]. Violent Karma Stories in Contemporary Sinhala Buddhism James Stewart1 Abstract Buddhism is a religion normally respected for its message of non-violence. In this article I will discuss how images of violence are used as a means to compel Buddhists to act in accordance with Buddhist ethical principles. This will be shown through the examination of a contemporary news- paper series from the popular Sinhala language Lankādīpa Irida periodical. In it, we find a series of karma stories that illustrate how examples of violence can be found in mod- ern Buddhistic narratives, both in written and pictorial forms. In this article it will be argued that these modern narratives have a precedent in much earlier, and in some cases ancient, Buddhist writings and art. I will argue that these modern narratives deviate from canonical karma stories in that they focus on the maturation of karma in 1 School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University. Email: [email protected]. This article was first presented as a paper at the IABS Conference in Toronto in 2017. I would like to acknowledge the helpful feedback pro- vided by audience members at that conference.
    [Show full text]
  • Discovering Buddhism at Home
    Discovering Buddhism at home Awakening the limitless potential of your mind, achieving all peace and happiness Special Integration Experiences Required Reading Contents The Eight Places of Buddhist Pilgrimage, by Jeremy Russell 3 (Also available on Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive Website – www.lamayeshe.com) Further required reading includes the following texts: The Tantric Path of Purification, by Lama Thubten Yeshe Everlasting Rain of Nectar, by Geshe Jampa Gyatso © FPMT, Inc., 2001. All rights reserved. 1 2 The Eight Places of Buddhist Pilgrimage by Jeremy Russell Jeremy Russell was born in England and received his degree in English Literature from London University. He studied Buddhist philosophy at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamsala, for four years. Jeremy currently lives in Dharamsala, India, editing Cho-Yang, the Journal of Tibetan Culture, and translating other material from Tibetan. Lord Buddha said: Monks, after my passing away, if all the sons and daughters of good family and the faithful, so long as they live, go to the four holy places, they should go and remember: here at Lumbini the enlightened one was born; here at Bodhgaya he attained enlightenment; here at Sarnath he turned twelve wheels of Dharma; and here at Kushinagar he entered parinirvana. Monks, after my passing away there will be activities such as circumambulation of these places and prostration to them. Thus it should be told, for they who have faith in my deeds and awareness of their own will travel to higher states. After my passing away, the new monks who come and ask of the doctrine should be told of these four places and advised that a pilgrimage to them will help purify their previously accumulated negative karmas, even the five heinous actions.
    [Show full text]