Buddhism

What implications does the Srin-mo, a pre-Buddhist deity who traverses across almost all of the periods of time in Tibetan religious life, have on the social status of women? Embodying the places and spaces of Tibet, a malevolent demoness called the Srin-mo has been essential in laying the formation of Tibetan Buddhism. The concept of the Srin-mo can be traced back to the pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet: Bön. The story of the Srin-mo is not a creation myth in the sense of a worldly inception,  but the story of the demoness does represent the creation of a harmonious society, spurring from the preceding time of primordial chaos found amongst the Bön religion. Looking at the origins of the demoness’ story is necessary in order to understand how and why the Srin-mo holds efficacious power over the land and people of Tibet. Here, I will investigate the case of the Srin-mo, which is controversially one of the most important beings in Tibet, but unquestionably, an irrevocable component of understanding what implications geography holds on Tibet.

A number of scientific writers have proposed manipulating the ecology of Mars in order to make the planet more comfortable for future immigrants from Earth.  However, the ethical acceptability of such ‘terraforming’ proposals remains unresolved.  In response, in this article I explore some of these scientific proposals through the lens provided by Buddhist environmental ethics that are quantitatively expressed by practitioners in the ethnographic field of the United States.  What I find is that contemporary Buddhists combine philosophical notions of interconnectedness with moral considerations not to harm others and then creatively extend this combined sensibility to the protection specifically of abiotic features of Mars.  In so doing these Buddhists significantly reject proposals to alter the Martian ecology planet-wide as beyond the ethical right of humans.  Along the way these Buddhists also importantly provide an innovative basis for enriching Buddhist environmental ethical protection of abiotic locations, and this strengthening can assist in mitigating climate change on Earth.

In order to accept this Student Recruiter agreement with the College of Mental Health Counselling, you must believe in and agree with the value of learning about counselling through the online course described at www.ctihalifax.com, and you must act in good faith accepting that the College will remunerate you as per the terms of this agreement in #5 below. Because a Student Recruiter must communicate the following, therefore completing the below steps is considered a Skill Test in order to qualify. When the College receives full tuition from your first referral, you will be considered a Student Recruiter.

This paper examines the influence of Christianity in the formation of new Buddhism and the reformation agenda of traditional Buddhism during the first half of the twentieth century in
Korea. By new Buddhism, I am specifically referring to Wŏn Buddhism (圓佛敎), established by Sot’aesan Pak Chungbin 少太山朴重彬(1891–1943) in 1916. Since its foundation, Wŏn Buddhism has grown into one of the four major religious groups in South Korea, along with traditional Buddhism, Catholicism, and Protestantism. The paper begins by reviewing some of major issues in the Buddhist reform movements and Wŏn Buddhism. It then goes on to detail the formalistic similarities between Wŏn Buddhism and Christianity. The next section examines the visible influences of traditional East Asian religions in Wŏn Buddhism. In its
final part, the paper considers Sot’aesan’s approaches to different religious traditions and the eclectic nature of Wŏn Buddhism as a possible model for an interreligious dialogue, to include Buddhist-Christian dialogue.
Keywords: Wŏn Buddhism, Christianity, new Buddhism, Buddhist reform movements, ecumenism

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A study of Buddhist sculptures of women at Sāñchī and Kanaganahalli, with profound implications for Buddhism and for the understanding of the origin of Christianity. (A revision which I recently made is this: I have replaced the earlier example of Buddhism’s occasional tendencies toward emphasizing the grotesque and unpleasant aspects of the human physical body [pp. 51-53] with a far more significant quoted description and illustration of the ghastly, midnight ‘Harem Scene’, which, in fact, represents the major turning point in the life of the Buddha-to-be [Prince Siddhārtha], and which, in this study, I am proposing as the very source of the enigmatic, so-called ‘Sheela-na-gig’ sculptures.)

La letteratura buddhista del canone pali presenta un’estesa tassonomia di esercizi di meditazione. Lo scopo di questi esercizi è di raggiungere alti livelli di concentrazione e da lì forme di conoscenza intuitiva atte a dissipare l’illusione e a liberare la mente dalle contaminazioni mentali. Questo processo, descritto anche all’interno delle narrazioni tradizionali della vita del Buddha, verrà esaminato attraverso le sue principali fasi e componenti: prerequisiti, facoltà accessorie variamente interrelate, esercizi specifici per la focalizzazione dell’attenzione su un oggetto, rimedi agli impedimenti alla concentrazione, stadi profondi di assorbimento e relative acquisizioni, modelli progressivi di acquietamento della mente, contromisure all’identificazione egoica della mente con i livelli di concentrazione raggiunti, maturazione dei fattori contemplativi e cognitivi, rottura degli schemi del saṃsāra e conseguente liberazione.
Si analizzeranno alcuni testi e passi dedicati alla concentrazione meditativa, tratti dal Suttapiṭaka e da lavori esegetici, dal punto di vista delle sfumature lessicali, dei riferimenti incrociati, della coerenza dei contenuti, e dell’impatto di queste classificazioni sulla filosofia del buddhismo antico tout court, con particolare attenzione all’ontologia e all’epistemologia.

According to a survey on the religious landscape in Korea, about half of the total population of Korea (53.4%) declared practicing religion. This number has shown a steady increase since the Gallup Korea conducted a survey in this field in 1984. 1 In understanding religion, religious phenomena, and religious practices in Korea, we should consider that the concept and expression of religion is relatively new in Korean culture. In this context, at least two preliminary remarks need to be made before we begin our discussion on the religions in Korea. The first is about the term religion. The expression religion did not exist in the vocabulary of East Asian languages until the late 19 th century. One origin of the modern term religion (Kor, chonggyo; Jan. shūkyō) can be traced to a trade document between Japan and Germany signed in 1869, in which the European term religion was translated into Japanese language, which was adopted by Koreans. 2 This does not mean that what is denoted by the term religion in English language did not exist in East Asia before the adoption of the expression. Instead of religion, traditional Korean religions such as Confucianism and Buddhism (which we will discuss in this chapter) were called teachings (Kor. kyo) or school (Kor. ga). This also indicates that the commonly known distinction between philosophy and religion in Western tradition does not strictly apply to Korean religious and philosophical traditions. The second issue to consider is the scope of religious phenomena. Religion is frequently and sometimes uncritically identified with religion as an institution. Institutionalized (or organized) religion features religious texts (sacred books), religious structure (church or temples), religious group (priesthood and believers), and moral and ethical codes (precepts). Religion is also often considered to be about God. Most of the major religions in the world share these components of religion, but religious phenomena are not limited to them, nor is what we denote by each of the above categories as clear as we might think. Several suggestions have been made for a comprehensive understanding of religious phenomena. One such example is to expand our concept of religion, from a singular-form religion to its plural form, religions. The pluralization of religious tradition enables us to further expand the scope of religions so that we can consider what constitutes the religious. 3 This paradigm can be applied to other concepts that are associated with religion. For example, we can expand our investigation from the concept of God to plural gods and then to the concept of the sacred (or the holy); from churches/temples to the place of worship and to the concept of the sacred space; and from examining precepts of a particular religion to the relationship between the finite and the infinite, and then to the issue of construction of value systems in human life. This is a process of creating a generic form (e.g., the sacred) from the collection of particular phenomenon (e.g., God). This process is necessary in order to have a comprehensive understanding of different religious traditions without privileging one religious tradition. This is especially relevant to our attempt to understand and evaluate Korean religious traditions. More often than not, students in the West ask how either Buddhism or Confucianism can be called a religion when these traditions do not have concepts that match what they find in Western religious traditions. Before we attempt to answer these questions, we should understand that such questions arise because we set a specific religious tradition as a standard for other religious traditions. In our discussion of Korean religions, we will divide them into three groups for the sake of convenience: the first is indigenous religions (Shamanism); the second is foreign-origin religions that became Koreanized (Buddhism and Confucianism); and the third is new religions that emerged during the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries (Tonghak and Won Buddhism).

The Venerable Cheng-yen is an unassuming Taiwanese Buddhist nun who leads a worldwide social welfare movement with five million devotees in over thirty countries—with its largest branch in the United States. Tzu-Chi (Compassion Relief) began as a tiny, grassroots women’s charitable group; today in Taiwan it runs three state-of-the-art hospitals, a television channel, and a university. Cheng-yen, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, is a leader in Buddhist peace activism and has garnered recognition by Business Week as an entrepreneurial star.

Based on extensive fieldwork in Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, and the United States, this book explores the transformation of Tzu-Chi. C. Julia Huang offers a vivid ethnography that examines the movement’s organization, its relationship with NGOs and humanitarian organizations, and the nature of its Buddhist transnationalism, which is global in scope and local in practice. Tzu-Chi’s identity is intimately tied to its leader, and Huang illuminates Cheng-yen’s successful blending of charisma and compassion and the personal relationship between leader and devotee that defines the movement.

This important book sheds new light on religion and cultural identity and contributes to our understanding of the nature of charisma and the role of faith-based organizations.

Tout en développant des théories complexes de la réalité, le bouddhisme, sous ses différentes formes, et le stoïcisme ne se résument pas à informer leurs adeptes mais aussi à les former d'une certaine manière. Au sein de ces doctrines, une place importante est accordée à la discipline qui comprend à la fois une dimension corporelle et une dimension psychique. A travers des pratiques spécifiques, qui visent sa subjectivité et son rapport avec le reste de la réalité, le disciple est exhorté à faire retour sur soi, afin d'agir sur soi, d'acquérir une certaine maîtrise de soi et de modifier sa vision de la réalité. Par l'adoption d'un point de vue juste, il réalise l'accord avec l'ordre du monde, accord qui libère de la souffrance.

ABSTRACT 
The Effect of Technology on the Psychology of Death and Dying:  An Empirical Phenomenological Study 
by 
Dana F. Hodgdon 

This study explored the lived experience of death in the hospital intensive care unit (ICU) from the perspective of surviving family members.  More specifically, attention was placed on the experience of withdrawing life-support for a loved one.  A phenomenological approach was adopted, and a convenience sampling technique was
employed with family members in a community in Southern California.  Four (4) caregivers of dying patients were interviewed to explore the lived experience of removal of life-support for a loved one.  The caregiver reactions were categorized into seven themes that were common to all four participants: (a) overall experience, (b) mental perspective, (c) ambivalence about care, (d) perceptions of technology, (e) the decision,
(f) aftermath, and (g) suggestions for others.  The themes were discovered through implementation of transcendental phenomenology in which the researcher's past experience was bracketed out from interpretations of the interviews.  Thus, the participants’ words were taken without preconception to the greatest extent possible. 
Even though the outcomes were identical—the death of the patient—the circumstances leading up to the decisions were each very different.  Each circumstance had bio-ethical ramifications, including breaches in scope of practice, communication breakdown, and caregiver reactions.  The results suggest several areas of improvement including those
areas that were suggested by the participants themselves. 

The intention of this research is to shed light on this experience for mental healthcare professionals, such as psychologists and social workers who provide care for the families before, during, and/or after the experience of a loved one’s death in the ICU. Moreover, it is hoped that this research will help mental health clinicians to better understand the needs of professional healthcare providers who are exposed to these
untenable circumstances on a regular basis.

The Buddhist technical term was first translated as ‘mindfulness’ by T.W. Rhys Davids in 1881. Since then various authors, including Rhys Davids, have attempted definitions of what precisely is meant by mindfulness. Initially these were based on readings and interpretations of ancient Buddhist texts. Beginning in the 1950s some definitions of mindfulness became more informed by the actual practice of meditation. In particular, Nyanaponika’s definition appears to have had significant influence on the definition of mindfulness adopted by those who developed MBSR and MBCT. Turning to the various aspects of mindfulness brought out in traditional Therava ̄da definitions, several of those highlighted are not initially apparent in the definitions current in the context of MBSR and MBCT. Moreover, the MBSR and MBCT notion of mindfulness as ‘non-judgmental’ needs careful consideration from a traditional Buddhist perspective. Nevertheless, the difference in emphasis apparent in the theoretical definitions of mindfulness may not be so significant in the actual clinical application of mindfulness techniques.

“Stuart has elected not to describe the nature of Goenka’s practice and the detailed (and easily accessible) theory that underpins it. … [T]he biographer describes Goenka as ‘dedicated to serving as a powerful channel for his teacher’s [U Ba Khin’s] vijjādhātu, . . . the psychic force of the wisdom of vipaśyanā [insight meditation] made available to Goenka and his students by the grace of U Ba Khin and his enlightened nonhuman guides.’”

Souvent présentée comme incertaine, l'étymologie du mot « pagode » peut être clarifiée et considérée comme la rencontre de deux mots, l'un indien, l'autre chinois.
Ce que ce mot désigne a fortement évolué : autrefois polysémique, « la pagode » ne renvoie plus aujourd'hui qu'à une seule réalité, ne concernant que le bouddhisme chinois et les traditions qu'il a suscitées.
D'où il s'ensuit que les monuments du bouddhisme Theravāda ne doivent plus être appelés « pagodes ».

Academic study of the tantric traditions has blossomed in recent decades, in no small measure thanks to the magisterial contributions of Alexis G. J. S. Sanderson, until 2015 Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University. This collection of essays honours him and touches several fields of Indology that he has helped to shape (or, in the case of the Śaiva religions, revolutionised): the history, ritual, and philosophies of tantric Buddhism, Śaivism and Vaiṣṇavism; religious art and architecture; and Sanskrit belles lettres. Grateful former students, joined by other experts influenced by his scholarship, here offer papers that make significant contributions to our understanding of the cultural, religious, political, and intellectual histories of premodern South and Southeast Asia.

Contributors are: Peter Bisschop, Judit Törzsök, Alex Watson, Isabelle Ratié, Christopher Wallis, Péter-Dániel Szántó, Srilata Raman, Csaba Dezső, Gergely Hidas, Nina Mirnig, John Nemec, Bihani Sarkar, Jürgen Hanneder, Diwakar Acharya, James Mallinson, Csaba Kiss, Jason Birch, Elizabeth Mills, Ryugen Tanemura, Anthony Tribe, and Parul Dave-Mukherji.

The publication is fully open-access and can be downloaded (in whole or chapter-by-chapter) from Brill's website: https://brill.com/view/title/56613

Poceski, Mario. Introducing Chinese Religions. New York and London: Routledge, 2009. Also available in an e-book format, as Chinese Religions: The eBook (published by JBE Online Books), and in a Portuguese translation: Introdução às religiões chinesas, published by Fundação Editora da UNESP, Brazil, 2013.

Previous scholarly studies have discussed the use of Zen Buddhism
within the person-centred approach of Carl Rogers, demonstrating the feasible influence of Buddhism over Rogers’s theories. The present research delves into the convergence and divergence of person-centred therapy and the Mahāyāna (one of the current mainstreams of Buddhism) philosophy explicated within the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra (a significant Mahāyāna canon); in particular, the bodhisattva spirit and four immeasurables, including loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. Findings indicate that Carl Rogers’s counselling principles and practices comply with the Buddhist teachings of phenomenal vision, actualising tendency, and innate eagerness to alleviate suffering. This discussion also analyses ideas that have
seldom been examined in person-centred principles, such as bodhisattva
altruism, mind purity in nature and impurity caused by bewilderment,
compassion fatigue, causes of suffering, and counselling techniques.
Mahāyāna wisdom potentially offers references to the Rogerian family of
theories, which also sheds light on the use of Buddhist-influenced non-medical interventions.

2017 The ten ox-herding pictures are some of the most famous illustrations in Buddhism. The commentaries that have been written on these pictures are vast and wide. In this workbook I've taken the opportunity to share my views about the pictures along with sharing the thoughts and ideas of other contemporary writers on Buddhism who have done so as well.

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In the past, researchers who studied ceramics tended to focus on the imitation of marbled ware in the pattern, or to incorporate it into the lead-glazed pottery system to be discussed. Research focused on marbled ware is relatively rare so far, and the value of historical data is still potential to be explored. In addition, in the newly unearthed archaeological information in recent years, marbled ware is widely found in tombs and ruins in East Asia. However, the use of this batch of materials and the export route have not been systematically studied.

In this research, we will first investigate the unearthed materials and related documents, then organize the marbled ware collections of museums in various countries to build a systematic research database. Furthermore, by comparing the styles of each type, this research will try to illustrate the relationship between the production time period and evolution of each type of marbled ware.

After sorting out the basic information of marbled ware in the Tang and Song dynasties, this article will also study the foreign trade status of marbled ware, the class of users and the group of sponsors, and its special significance in religion and political rights. By comprehensively analyzing the historical information revealed by marbled ware, this research will try to restore its context of use during the Tang and Song Dynasties.

This is the handout for a presentation I gave  in February of 2020 in Heidelberg at the workshop "Textual and Visual Sources on Buddhist Meditation: 56 Years after the First Publication of the ‘Buddhist Yoga Manual.’" The talk was entitled "The Deities of Others: Visionary meditation as inter-tradition critique in the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra."

Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world. It began in the 6th century BCE in Nepal. Today, it has an international following of over 500 million people.
But Buddhism isn’t a single set of beliefs or practices. In fact, Buddhism is split into two major branches: Theravada and Mahayana.
What are the major differences between Theravada vs MahayanaBuddhism? And why did they split in the first place? These two branches of Buddhism each have their own unique identity. And you might be surprised by what each can offer the beginner practitioner learning how to practice Buddhism.

Though traditionally regarded as a peaceful religion, Buddhism has a dark side. On multiple occasions over the past fifteen centuries, Buddhist leaders have sanctioned violence, and even war. The eight essays in this book focus on a variety of Buddhist traditions, from antiquity to the present, and show that Buddhist organizations have used religious images and rhetoric to support military conquest throughout history.

Buddhist soldiers in sixth century China were given the illustrious status of Bodhisattva after killing their adversaries. In seventeenth century Tibet, the Fifth Dalai Lama endorsed a Mongol ruler's killing of his rivals. And in modern-day Thailand, Buddhist soldiers carry out their duties undercover, as fully ordained monks armed with guns.

Buddhist Warfare demonstrates that the discourse on religion and violence, usually applied to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, can no longer exclude Buddhist traditions. The book examines Buddhist military action in Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, and shows that even the most unlikely and allegedly pacifist religious traditions are susceptible to the violent tendencies of man.

The relationship between Buddhist psychology and the Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapeutic model is notable. Both assert that what we commonly think of as our 'self' is actually an aggregate of myriad parts acting from unmet desires, fears, and delusions. Both also maintain the possibility of actualizing a healthier, wiser, more compassionate 'self' by changing how we understand and relate to these internal parts. What may not be so apparent at first glance, is how the IFS notion of 'Self,' with a capital 'S,' reconciles with the Buddhist notion of non-self or anatta. Rather than being contradictory, Dr. Flint Sparks, psychotherapist and Zen priest, holds they are one and the same, and the Buddhist point of view brings a more nuanced approach to Self that IFS accommodates. 1

The Buddha: From Birth to Renunciation "Monks, there is a unique Being, an extraordinary person, who has appeared in the world for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of celestial beings (devas) and humans. Who is that unique Being? It is the Tathāgata, the Exalted, Fully Enlightened One. This, indeed, is that unique Being. "Monks, there is a Being who has appeared in the world who is the only one of His kind, without a peer, without a counterpart, incomparable, unequalled, matchless, unrivalled-the best of humans. Who is that unique Being? It is the Tathāgata, the Exalted, Fully Enlightened One. This, indeed, is that unique Being. "Monks, the manifestation of a unique Being is the manifestation of great vision, of great light, of great radiance; it is the manifestation of the six things unsurpassed; 1 the realization of the four analytical knowledges; 2 the penetration of the various elements, of the diversity of elements; it is the realization of the fruit of knowledge and liberation; the realization of the fruits of Stream-Entry, of Once-Returning, of Non-Returning, and of Arahatship. 3 Who is that unique Being? It is the 1 The "six things unsurpassed" (cha anuttariyā) are explained in the Anguttara Nikāya 6:130: (1) the unsurpassed sight (that is, the sight of a Buddha or His disciples); (2) the unsurpassed hearing (that is, the hearing of the Dhamma from a Buddha or His disciples); (3) the unsurpassed gain (that is, the gain of faith in a Buddha or His disciples); (4) the unsurpassed training (that is, the training in the higher morality, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom as taught by a Buddha and His disciples); (5) the unsurpassed service (that is, service to a Buddha or His disciples); and (6) the unsurpassed recollection (that is, the recollection of a Buddha or His disciples). 2 The "four analytical knowledges" (catasso paṭisambhidā) are the analytical knowledges of meaning, doctrine, language, and ingenuity. 3 The "fruits (phala) of stream-entry", etc. may be explained as follows: Between the states of delusion, bondage, and suffering and that of complete liberation (vimokkha) lie the paths and fruits of attainment, marked by the progressive elimination of ten fetters (saṁyojana). One who has put an end to the first three fetters is known as a Stream-Winner (Sotāpanna). When, in addition, the next two fetters are weakened, one becomes a Once-Returner (Sakadāgāmī). When all of the first five fetters, which are known as the grosser fetters, are completely destroyed, one becomes a Non-Returner (Anāgāmī). When all ten fetters are destroyed, one attains the state of Arahat. 2 THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA, ACCORDING TO THE OLDEST TEXTS Tathāgata, the Exalted, Fully Enlightened One. This, indeed, is that unique Being." 4 Introduction 5 History has produced many great figures, but none, in this present cycle of time, as impressive and memorable as Siddhattha Gotama, the Sākyan prince who became the world's greatest spiritual guide. He was unique as a personality and unique as a teacher. There were countless Enlightened Ones before Him, and there will be more, so long as cyclic existence (saṁsāra) endures, but He is the only one of whom we have actual historical knowledge, and His life has been a source of wonder and inspiration for more than 2,600 years. It continues to be so to this day. Every Buddhist is familiar with the miraculous stories connected with Prince Siddhattha's birth, early manhood, and later life as the Buddha. The traditional tales handed down from generation to generation of Buddhists are full of marvels, some of which are difficult for the modern mind to accept as literally true. In this, Buddhism is no different from other creeds. All of them have their mythological accretions-the legends that time and the devotion of the faithful have woven about the lives of their founders. But, whereas in most other religions, the supernatural events are an essential part of the faith, to be held as proof that the founder was a divine personage, an incarnation of God, or a prophet specially singled out to be God's spokesman on earth, in Buddhism, they have no importance whatsoever, because the Buddha did not claim to be any of these things. If one so chooses, the stories may be taken literally, or they may be regarded as fiction. The uniqueness of the Buddha does not rest upon miracles or myths, but upon the established, unembellished facts of His life, and, above all, on the realizable truth of His Teaching. The unembellished facts of His life alone are more than enough to move us to awe and veneration. They confront us with something outside normal experience, a challenge to the world's accepted values and to some of its most cherished goals. The world of the time in which Prince Siddhattha lived was not so different from our own. Then, as today, men were inclined to worship power; they strove for wealth and position, reveled in luxury when they could, and lamented their poverty when they could not. They loved and hated, they quarreled and cheated, they were cowards at times and heroes at others, they were mean and noble by turns, just as they are now. They placed great value on the pleasures of the senses and did their best to ignore the tragedies 4

譯者序

巴利語《律藏》（Vinaya II 139）記載，佛陀要求大家「以各自的語言」來學習佛法。印度最高的婆羅門階級以梵語作為標準語言，僅有少數的上層社會人士使用，然而在兩千五百年前，印度各地已經發展出各種方言，普羅大眾不懂梵語。佛陀的規定意味著，他所開示的法義被弘揚到各地時，應以當地的語言來教導，以方便一般人了解與學習。
從公元第二世紀開始，印度佛典傳到中國，翻譯成漢文，然後傳到越南、朝鮮、日本，這是人類文化史上的大事。過去一千多年，漢文作為東亞各國的通用書面語文，自有其不可抹滅的貢獻與功能。相對於現代的中文白話文，古代通用的漢文稱為文言文。近百年間，文言文在幾乎所有的用途上已被白話文取代。在現代華人世界，一般大眾能閱讀白話文，多數人卻對文言文感到困難。
歐洲宗教改革明年將屆滿五百年。姑且不論其複雜的歷史功過，但可以肯定宗教改革加速了《聖經》被廣泛譯成各族語文，讓歐洲民眾可以普遍接觸《聖經》，而非少數懂拉丁文的社會菁英才能閱讀，也不會被極少數懂希伯來文與希臘文等聖經語文的學者所壟斷。如此，一般基督徒才有信奉其宗教的具體依據。佛經若能譯成現代中文（白話文），將可讓為數眾多的中文讀者有機會了解佛陀的教誨，而非少數精通文言文的社會菁英才能讀懂佛經，也不會被極少數懂梵、巴等佛典語文的學者所壟斷。佛經是全人類的珍貴文化資產，尤其巴利語的《長部》、《中部》、《相應部》、《增支部》是唯一保存於古印度語言且卷帙完整的初期佛經，如果能精確地翻譯成現代白話文，對佛教有興趣的廣大中文讀者將得以一窺堂奧，宛如親身聆聽佛陀的教導。

From an ecological, scientific perspective all phenomena found in nature posses both form and function, hence
being labelled as having ‘living’ qualities. Some, if not many man-made structures lack this quality and there is
scientific evidence conducted by Christopher Alexander that state the reasons why this is so. As architects we
must pay attention to this issue so we can avoid past mistakes and strive to create buildings and structures
that are architecturally ‘alive’. This research is vital because as architects we play a key role in shaping the
built environment, and this can have either a positive or negative effect on the surrounding environment and
community. The aim of this research is to test Christopher Alexander’s principles to see whether he holds the
key in decreasing the gap between nature and the built environment, using Boudhanath Stupa Kathmandu as
a case study. The structure of the research will be based on the scientific, explanatory and analytical method.
The research will outline Christopher Alexander’s Fifteen Fundamental Properties and exploring whether there
is evidence of these properties within Boudhanath Stupa. This research will be backed with recent on-site
analysis and architectural, religious and structural information. The qualitative research method will also be
employed within the research as it aims to gather an in-depth understanding of the stupa and its surrounding
environment. The research initially will be hypothesis testing as I will be testing Alexander’s theory against the
Boudhanath Stupa, however, I am aware that this may also be hypothesis generating as further research is
conducted by opening up and revealing questions along the way. If the Fifteen Fundamental Properties are
evident in the stupa, this may prove Alexander’s theory as being valid, and if this is the case, we can learn from
Alexander’s principles in order to create more examples of ‘living’ architecture.

This article deals with an important festival in Tibet dedicated to the future Buddha Maitreya. It was held on three days in summer when three giant thangkas showing Buddhas Amitābha, Śākyamuni and Maitreya were put on public display. Introduced in the seventeenth century, it became a defining feature of the monastic life in the Dge lugs monastery of Bkra shis lhun po, the seat of the Panchen Lamas. It attained a supra-regional importance, which even extended to Mongolia. Based on a number of textual sources, this essay examines various aspects of this festival, how it was funded, who participated, and which rituals and ceremonies were conducted. It also analyses the history and iconography of the three giant textile thangkas by discussing in detail the contributions made during the reign of each respective Panchen Lama from the past to the present. In sum, the article argues that this festival has to be seen in the context of a special bond the Dge lugs school of Tibetan Buddhism maintained to have with the future Buddha Maitreya

O zen-budismo é uma forma de budismo mahãyãna de origem chinesa e orientada para a meditação. O presente estudo é concebido “comparativamente”. As filosofias de Platão, Leibniz, Fichte, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche e Heideggeir, entre outras, são confrontadas com as inteleções filosóficas do zen-budismo. O “método comparativo” é utilizado aqui como um método desbravador de sentidos.

Membership in Newar Buddhist monasteries includes individuals from the Vajrācārya and Śākya castes who serve as Tantric Buddhist householder monks. Of this population, the ten eldest members of each monastery are known as the Daśa Sthavira Ājus (Ten Elders of the Highest Esteem). Because of their position, these Ājus are the ritual specialists for their communities and serve as exemplars of the monastic ideal in Newar society. This paper explores the ways in which Newar Buddhists at the Kwā Bahā monastic complex in Patan, Nepal, utilize ceremonial dress to reinforce their Buddhist identity and publicly reaffirm their ancient Buddhist heritage in Nepal. This study, the first to analyze the Ājus’ ceremonial regalia, provides an analysis of the garments, headdresses, and ornaments worn by these figures to explain the ways in which dress embeds Buddhist iconographic symbolism into Newar visual culture. Additionally, this paper demonstrates that the ritual veneration of the Ājus gives their regalia agency, reinforcing their public, ritual role as living embodiments of buddhahood. [PDF of article available in link]

Here is an exposition of Buddhism conceived in a resolutely modern spirit by one of the most qualified and enlightened representatives of that religion. The Rev. Dr. Walpola Rahula received the traditional training and education of a Buddhist Monk in Ceylon (Śri Lanka) and held eminent positions in one of the leading monastic institutions (Pirivena) in that island, where the Dhamma of the Buddha has flourished since the time of Asoka and has preserved all its vitality up to this day. Thus brought up in an ancient tradition, he decided, at this time when all traditions are called into question, to face the spirit and the methods of international scientific learning. He entered Ceylon University, obtained a B.A. Honors degree (London), and then earned a Ph.D. from Ceylon University with a highly erudite thesis on the History of Buddhism in Ceylon. Having worked with distinguished professors at the University of Calcutta and come in contact with practitioners of Mahāyāna Buddhism, that form of Buddhism which is found in Tibet, China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam, he decided to delve into the Chinese and Tibetan texts in order to widen his knowledge, and he has honored us by coming to the University of Paris (Sorbonne) to prepare a study of Asaṅga, the illustrious philosopher of Mahāyāna Buddhism, whose principal works in the original Sanskrit are lost and can only now be read in their Tibetan and Chinese translations. Eight years have now passed since Dr. Rahula has been among us, wearing the saffron robe, breathing the air of the West, searching perhaps in our old troubled mirror of universalized reflection of the religion which is his. The book, which he has kindly asked me to present to the Western reading public, is a luminous account, within the reach of everybody, of the fundamental principles of Buddhist doctrine, as they are found in the most ancient texts, which are called "The Tradition" (Āgama) in Sanskrit and "The Canonical Corpus" (Nikāya) in Pāḷi. Dr. Rahula, who possesses an incomparable knowledge of these texts, refers to them constantly and almost exclusively. Their authority is recognized unanimously by all the Buddhist schools, which were and are numerous, but none of which ever deviates from these texts, except with the intention of better interpreting the spirit beyond the letter. The interpretation has indeed been varied in the course of the expansion of Buddhism through many centuries and vast regions, and the Dhamma (Sanskrit Dharma) has taken on more than one aspect. But, the aspect of Buddhism presented here by Dr. Rahulahumanist, rationalist, Socratic in some respects, Evangelic in others, or, again, almost scientific-has for its support a great deal of authentic scriptural evidence, which he only had to let speak for itself. The explanations that he adds to his quotations, always translated with scrupulous accuracy, are clear, simple, direct, and free from all pedantry. Some among them might lead to discussion, as when he wishes to rediscover the doctrines of the Mahāyāna School ii WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT in the Pāḷi sources; but, his familiarity with those sources allows him to throw new light on them. He addresses himself to the modern man, but he refrains from insisting on comparisons just suggested here and there, which could be made with certain currents of thought of the contemporary world-socialism, atheism, existentialism, psychoanalysis. It is for the reader to appreciate the modernity, the possibilities of adaptation of a doctrine which, in this work of genuine scholarship, is presented to him in its primal richness. ■ Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pāḷi Canon (Boston, MA: Wisdom Publications [2205]). It would not be possible to write a book on the Teachings of the Buddha without dealing with the subjects which Theravādin and Mahāyāna Buddhism have accepted as fundamental in His system of thought. The term "Theravādin"-"Hīnayāna" or "Lesser Vehicle" is no longer used in informed circles-could be translated as "the School of the Elders" (thera), and the term "Mahāyāna" as "the Great Vehicle". They refer to the two main forms of Buddhism practiced in the world today. The Theravādin School, which is regarded as the original orthodox school of Buddhism, is found in Śri Lanka (Ceylon), Myanmar (Burma), the Chittagong region of Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia. The Mahāyāna School, which developed much later, is found in other Buddhist countries such as Tibet, Mongolia, China, Taiwan, the Russian Federation, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. There are certain differences between these two schools, mainly regarding some beliefs, practices, and observances, but, on the most important Teachings of the Buddha, such as those discussed in this book, both schools are in agreement. It only remains for me now to express my sense of gratitude to Professor F. C. Ludowyk, who has in fact invited me to write this book, for all the help given me, the interest taken in it, the suggestions he offered, and for reading through the manuscript. To Miss Marianne Möhn too, who went through the manuscript and made valuable suggestions, I am deeply grateful. Finally, I am greatly beholden to Professor Paul Demiéville, my teacher in Paris, for his kindness in writing the Foreword.

This spreadsheet compares the three teachings, in the way I believe the Buddha instructed monks to do in Council in DN 29, for the purpose of keeping the teaching pure. 

Link to the document: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tDOczWwmLYPmhJPYK2HL8lIojaN4CQDrDYQEoD4M904/edit?usp=sharing

The teachings of the tantric lineage of the Zur clan, which flourished in West Tibet during the early second millennium, have remained a missing element in the history of the “ancient,” Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. While the historical importance of the clan is well known and significant lines of transmission are attributed to it, few authentic works stemming from the Zur and detailing their tradition have appeared. The recent discovery of a major synthetic treatise, The All-Encompassing Lamp of Awareness, by a 12th century successor to the Zur and treating all major aspects of their doctrinal heritage, permits us for the first time to consider their contribution in substantial detail. The present article examines the provenance and authorship of this remarkable work.

Designed a poster for the twelve links (nidāna): Dependent Origination (paṭiccasamuppāda). This was a desideratum as I am running a Monday Q&A session on every nidāna. Vibhaṅga Sutta (SN 12.2) and Sammādiṭṭhi Sutta, (MN 09) are my references.

Original Post: https://patisota.blogspot.com/2021/06/twelve-links-dependent-origination.html

As an incredibly diverse religious system, Buddhism is constantly changing. The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism offers a comprehensive collection of work by leading scholars in the field that tracks these changes up to the present day. Taken together, the book provides a blueprint to understanding Buddhism's past and uses it to explore the ways in which Buddhism has transformed in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

The volume contains 41 essays, divided into two sections. The essays in the first section examine the historical development of Buddhist traditions throughout the world. These chapters cover familiar settings like India, Japan, and Tibet as well as the less well-known countries of Vietnam, Bhutan, and the regions of Latin America, Africa, and Oceania. Focusing on changes within countries and transnationally, this section also contains chapters that focus explicitly on globalization, such as Buddhist international organizations and diasporic communities. The second section tracks the relationship between Buddhist traditions and particular themes. These chapters review Buddhist interactions with contemporary topics such as violence and peacebuilding, and ecology, as well as Buddhist influences in areas such as medicine and science.

Offering coverage that is both expansive and detailed, The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Buddhism delves into some of the most debated and contested areas within Buddhist Studies today.