Mettavalokanaya_Magazine_September_2017
“Mettavalokanaya” International Buddhist Magazine has been successfully distributed to 40 countries including all districts across Sri Lanka and now “Mettavalokanaya” is Sri Lankan Most Popular & Leading monthly Buddhist Magazine.
“Mettavalokanaya” International Buddhist Magazine has been successfully distributed to 40 countries including all districts across Sri Lanka and now “Mettavalokanaya” is Sri Lankan Most Popular & Leading monthly Buddhist Magazine.
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“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>”<br />
Offered to the High Buddhist Monks in<br />
Malaysia….<br />
Most Popular & leading Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> in Sri Lanka,<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” Monthly Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> was recently<br />
presented to the High Buddhist Monks in Malaysia by the<br />
Founder, President & Chief Editor of <strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>, Mr.<br />
Buddhika Sanjeewa, at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on <strong>September</strong><br />
23 - 27, <strong>2017</strong>. This is the first time that a Sri Lankan Buddhist<br />
<strong>Magazine</strong> was presented to the High Buddhist Monks in<br />
Malaysia.<br />
The first photograph shows, “<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>”<br />
presented to the Most Venerable Datuk Kirinde<br />
Dhammaratana Thero - the Chief Sangha Nayaka of<br />
Malaysia & Chief Incumbent of the Buddhist Maha Vihara,<br />
Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Second photograph<br />
shows, “<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” presented to the Most Venerable<br />
Bhutawatte Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera - the Chief<br />
High Priest Judiciary of Malaysia and Chief Monk of Sri Lanka<br />
Buddhist Temple, Sentul, Malaysia.<br />
The third photograph shows, “<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>”<br />
presented to the Most Venerable Master Hui Hai Thero - the<br />
Rector of Dharma Buddhist University, Pahang, Malaysia. The<br />
last photograph shows, “<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” presented to the<br />
Mr. Wong Liang Yew - the General Secretary of Thean Hou<br />
Temple, the world popular Taoism and Confucianism Temple,<br />
in Malaysia and the Selangor & Federal Territory Hainan<br />
Association.<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> has been<br />
successfully distributed to over 40 countries up to date,<br />
and also to all districts across Sri Lanka. “<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>”<br />
Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong>’s slogan is “The Aspiration of Metta<br />
(Loving kindness) to Enlighten the Minds”. Our mission is to<br />
write and publish on pure teachings of Buddha and share<br />
them via different print media and online media platforms<br />
with the whole world.<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> will continue to<br />
aim to be the magazine that will take the higher teachings<br />
of the Enlightened One to those in Sri Lanka and across the<br />
world. The magazine comprises of special articles written by<br />
leading Buddhist Monks in Sri Lanka & overseas as well as lay<br />
people.<br />
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In Abhidhamma, the colorless consciousness, only a<br />
single kind of mental phenomenon, is divided into eighty-nine<br />
kinds from many aspects, such as its associated mental factors<br />
{cetasaika), sense-doors {dvara), sense-objects {arammana),<br />
realm {bhOmf), and so on. In this discourse, however, the<br />
Buddha classified the mind into sixteen kinds (or eight<br />
couples) from ethical aspects as follows:<br />
01. A desire associated mind and desire-disassociated<br />
mind<br />
02. An aversion-associated mind and an aversion<br />
disassociated mind<br />
03. A delusion-associated mind and a delusion<br />
disassociated mind<br />
04. A contracted mind and a distracted mind<br />
05. An advanced mind and a basic mind<br />
06. A surpass able mind and an unsurpassable mind<br />
07. A concentrated mind and an un-concentrated mind<br />
08. A liberated mind and an un-liberated mind<br />
01. Desire-associated Mind<br />
The Paji word “sa-ragd” literally means "ragaassociated."<br />
The word "raga" is normally translated as 'Nust" and that<br />
generally refers to romantic feelings. In the context of<br />
satlpatthana, however, the term "raga" refers to lobha, which<br />
includes not only lust but also many other mental states, such<br />
as greed, selfishness, desire, attachment, craving, clinging,<br />
wanting, passion, family love, romantic love, and so on.<br />
To cover all the range of its meanings, the word is<br />
translated here as ''desire," which can indicate raga in different<br />
degrees and different forms according to different kinds of<br />
desirable objects, such as:<br />
• The desire {raga) for material things, like: money,<br />
cars, houses, Phones, Pods, jewelry, flowers, food, clothing,<br />
medicine, and so on.<br />
The Classification of Mind….<br />
Most Venerable Yalagamuwe Dhammissara Anunayake Thero<br />
The Anunayake of Udarata Amarapura Maha Nikaya, Chief Incumbent of Sakamuni<br />
International Buddhist Centre in Tokyo, Chief Incumbent of Viharagoda Dimbulana<br />
Pirivena Temple, Director of Dhammananda Viddiyatana Pirivena, Honorable President<br />
of Japan Sri Lanka International cultural & social development foundation (JSICSF) &<br />
Chief Sanganayake Thero in Japan.<br />
• The desire {raga) for living things, like: girlfriends<br />
and boyfriends, husbands and wives, parents and children,<br />
brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues, students and<br />
teachers, employers and employees, and so on.<br />
• The desire {raga) for something conceptual like:<br />
beauty, popularity, reputation, respect, self-image, high social<br />
status, high living standard, and so on.<br />
• The desire {raga) for pleasant feelings like: comfort,<br />
happiness, sensual pleasure, sexual pleasure, and so on.<br />
Classification of "Desire-associated Mind" - This desireassociated<br />
mind arises on such occasions as when we think<br />
about having a desirable object (like a car or a partner); when<br />
we actually get it; when we enjoy it; or when we become<br />
attached to it. In the Abhidhamma and commentary on the<br />
Satipatthana Sutta, this desire-associated mind is technically<br />
divided into eight kinds by modifying it with three pairs of<br />
phrases: "with or without illusion," "with happy or neutral<br />
feeling," and "prompted or unprompted."<br />
For example, when thinking about buying a car or<br />
having a partner, sometimes we feel pleasant and other<br />
times indifferent or neutral. Such mental states sometimes<br />
take place by themselves without being prompted, but other<br />
times they are prompted by thinking about the advantages of<br />
having a car or a partner. Moreover, this mental state is mostly<br />
associated with illusory sense of "I." As for the first two stages<br />
of enlightenment, it does not have this illusory sense of "I,"<br />
because it has been uprooted.<br />
However, even without having this illusion of "I" they<br />
can still be attached to things and people. So, even when we<br />
can eradicate the illusory sense of "I," desire or attachment<br />
will still persist. It is desire that creates what we are now. We<br />
cannot uproot it until we are fully enlightened. The best way<br />
to react to such a desire-associated mind is, of course, to note<br />
it, as "desire-associated mind, desire-associated mind..." or<br />
just "desire, desire..."<br />
02. Desire-dissociated Mind<br />
"Desire-dissociated mind" refers to selfless nature of the<br />
mind. Generally, we human beings are regarded as selfish in<br />
nature. Our activities are motivated by self-interest. For our<br />
survival, we are often selfish and aggressive. And with our<br />
over concern about survival, we often over-react to conflict<br />
by fighting a war.<br />
However, there are thousands of non-profit organizations<br />
and humanity foundations that signify the selfless nature of<br />
the human mind. We make donations to charities, foundations<br />
and non-profit organizations with unselfish mental states.<br />
Actually, there can be thousands of people who will<br />
even sacrifice their life and limbs if they feel their sacrifice<br />
would bring worthwhile benefits to humanity. Our would-be<br />
Buddha gave up the great opportunity for his full liberation<br />
under the guidance of Dipahkara Buddha and, instead,<br />
took great pains going through the cycles of life and death<br />
{sarhsara) for eons fulfilling his parami so that he could help<br />
beings to become liberated.<br />
In our day-to-day life, while we are working hard to earn<br />
our living, we sometimes think about saving money to give to<br />
our parents or to contribute to a charity, etc. Although these<br />
thoughts may appear to be trivial, they signify the selfless<br />
nature of mind. At such moments, there arises the selfless<br />
mental state that is literally called "desire-dissociated mind."<br />
This is classified into eight kinds (in Abhidhamma and the<br />
commentary on Satipatthana Sutta) by modifying it with three<br />
pairs of the phrases: "with pleasant or neutral feeling," "with<br />
or without understanding," and "prompted or unprompted."<br />
This mental state is wholesome, but it may be<br />
counterproductive if it makes our ego bigger. So, the best way<br />
to react to it is, of course, to note it as "desire dissociated<br />
mind, desire-dissociated mind..." or "selfless, selfless..."<br />
03 - 04. Associated or Dissociated with Aversion<br />
The Paji word for "aversion-associated" is sadosarii. In<br />
this phrase, the word dosa is normally translated as "anger."<br />
Actually, dosa literally means "destructive (phenomenon),"<br />
including several kinds of mental states such as dislike,<br />
disgust, hostility, resentment, hatred, aversion (in an active<br />
sense), and fear, worry, anxiety, disappointment, frustration,<br />
depression, and so on (in a passive sense). To cover the entire<br />
range of its meanings, the word dosa here is translated as<br />
"aversion."<br />
The mind that is associated with this aversion takes<br />
place when we are angry or unhappy with someone or<br />
something or when we are worried or anxious about someone<br />
or something. It always comes along with the unhappy<br />
feeling {domanassa) and offensive attitude {patighd). The<br />
Abhidhamma divides it into two kinds by modifying it with<br />
"unprompted" and "prompted," because it sometimes takes<br />
place by itself without being prompted, but other times it is<br />
prompted by thinking about negative aspects of someone or<br />
something.<br />
Diametrically opposite of the aversion are loving<br />
kindness and compassion. The mind that is accompanied by<br />
these mental factors is literally called "aversion-dissociated<br />
mind." So, this aversion dissociated mind takes place when<br />
we act, speak or think of something with loving kindness,<br />
compassion and understanding. In any case, the most effective<br />
way to deal with aversion is, of course, to note it as "aversion,<br />
aversion, aversion...," whereas if we feel compassionate, note<br />
it as "compassionate, compassionate, compassionate..."<br />
05 - 06 Associated or Disassociated with Delusion<br />
The Pan word for "delusion-associated" is samoha. Here,<br />
moha literally means "cloudy (mind)" referring to ignorance<br />
and illusion or not knowing {appatipatti avijja) and knowing<br />
falsely {michapatipatti avijja). For example, It Is Ignorance If we<br />
do not know what the body Is, while It Is Illusion If we mistake<br />
the body for "I" or "mine." Such mental states are sometimes<br />
associated with skeptical doubt or confusion (yicikicchs) and<br />
other times with wandering minds {uddacca). Most of the<br />
time, we have a wandering mind thinking aimlessly.<br />
The train of thought always keeps on going without any<br />
fixed destination. Moreover, this delusion-associated mind<br />
underlies all sorts of unwholesome activities, speech and<br />
thoughts. So, this delusion-associated mind arises on such<br />
occasions as when we think It Is I who Is doing, speaking or<br />
thinking; when we feel as If we were someone unique and<br />
ageless; when we find another person lovable or despicable;<br />
when we have wandering thoughts; or when we get confused<br />
between right and wrong.<br />
07 - 08. Contracted or Distracted<br />
"Contracted mind" refers to the laziness which Is literally<br />
known as sloth-and-torpor {thina-middha). Sometimes, we are<br />
Inactive and unwilling to put effort in something wholesome<br />
like meditation practice. We often give lame excuses for our<br />
failure to do good and beneficial things. For instance, we may<br />
make excuses that we cannot practice meditation, as we are<br />
too busy, or too weak, or the weather is too cold or too hot,<br />
and so on. With such laziness or nwillingness, the mind is said<br />
to be contracted because at this moment we do not act, speak<br />
or think of anything clearly and distinctly.<br />
09 - 10. Advanced or Basic<br />
Here, two Paji words mahaggata and a-mahaggata<br />
literally mean "Great" and "Non-great." In harmony with<br />
the context, however, they are translated here in common<br />
language as "advanced" and "basic." In Abhidhamma, the<br />
progressive stages of mind are stated from the very basic<br />
to higher basic and advanced levels, which are respectively<br />
described as unwholesome minds {akusala), worldly<br />
wholesome minds {kamavacara), and jhanic mind {mahaggata)<br />
and supra-mundane mind {lokuttara).<br />
In the case of mindfulness practice, supra-mundane<br />
minds are not taken as a meditative object. So, among the<br />
three remaining kinds of minds, the jhanic mind is regarded as<br />
the advanced and the other two as the basic.<br />
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When we fall asleep, for example, we do not really know<br />
what is happening to us or to our surroundings; therefore,<br />
we are open to all kind of dangers and disasters like enemies,<br />
wild animals, floods, fires, earthquakes, and so on. For many<br />
reasons, we are exactly like someone who is asleep, since we<br />
do not know what is happening to us. We do not know we<br />
are changing physically, mentally and emotionally at every<br />
moment.<br />
In other words, everything is changing in us without our<br />
knowledge or consent to that. Thus, we are open to all sorts of<br />
mental defilements {kHesa) and their resultant misfortunes. In<br />
this sense, we are exactly like someone who falls asleep and is<br />
open to all sorts of dangers and disasters. Out of compassion,<br />
therefore, the Buddha taught us how to wake up from this<br />
kHesa sleep by developing the seven awakening factors as<br />
mentioned above.<br />
Below are the Seven Awakening Factors:<br />
1. Mindfulness that refers to being mindful of mental<br />
and physical phenomena by practicing the exercises described<br />
in this discourse.<br />
2. Investigation of dhamma, which means discerning our<br />
mind and body as they really are.<br />
3. Energy which refers to being inspired, enthusiastic and<br />
energetic when we discern mind and body without identifying<br />
them as "mine."<br />
4. Gratification which means being gratified with such<br />
dhamma experience.<br />
5. Tranquility which naturally follows gratification.<br />
6. Concentration in the wake of gratification and<br />
tranquility.<br />
7. Equanimity which refers to the stable mind unaffected<br />
by any kind of sense-objects, pleasant or unpleasant."<br />
The Awakening Factor of Mindfulness<br />
Affected by different sense-objects at every moment, we<br />
have different emotions and feelings along with different facial<br />
expressions and different physical gestures at every moment.<br />
We are not aware of them unless we are mindful. We do not<br />
know what is truly happening to our minds and bodies and<br />
how fast mental and physical phenomena are changing in us.<br />
We feel as if we are someone special and ageless.<br />
The Mindfulness….<br />
Most Venerable Dr. Bhiksuni Ming Yu<br />
The President - Chinese Young Buddhist Association in Taiwan & the Honorary Adviser<br />
of the World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB) and President of the Outstanding Women in<br />
Buddhism Awards<br />
How deep this illusion is! To overcome this illusion, the<br />
Buddha instructed us to be mindful of the mental and physical<br />
changes by observing our bodily actions, feelings, thoughts,<br />
etc., as mentioned in the previous sections. The mere presence<br />
of Mindfulness can counter illusion and illusion-based mental<br />
defilements {kilesa). In other words, Mindfulness helps<br />
awaken us from the sleep of Illusion and therefore, is called<br />
an "awakening factor."<br />
The key to developing the awakening factors is to be<br />
mindful at all times and on all occasions, even in the restroom<br />
as the Buddha instructed in the previous section. Only with<br />
such continuous mindfulness and strong concentration can<br />
we discern mental and physical phenomena beyond the<br />
conceptual forms and without identifying them as "I" or<br />
"mine." With this discernment, we can realize what our mind<br />
and body really are (i.e., their characteristics, sabhava), how<br />
they arise (i.e., their conditionality, sahkhata), and how they<br />
disappear (i.e., their Impermanence, samanna).<br />
At this moment of realization, we are considered to<br />
be awakened from the illusion and illusion-based mental<br />
defilements. The next moment, however, we may fall asleep<br />
again in terms of illusion when we think that it is "I" who<br />
is seeing something or someone beautiful or ugly. Then,<br />
we are exposed again to the enemies, namely, the mental<br />
defilements, such as greed, lust, attachment, anger, hatred,<br />
and so on. Thus, at the early stages of developing mindfulness,<br />
we can only become awakened momentarily. But, at the<br />
mature stages, with more continuous mindfulness, we can be<br />
awakened for a longer period. Eventually, we will become fully<br />
awakened from all illusions once we are fully enlightened.<br />
The Buddha instructed us to know the awakening factor<br />
of mindfulness from four aspects thus:<br />
1. If the awakening factor of Mindfulness is present in<br />
him, he knows "there is the awakening factor of Mindfulness<br />
in me.<br />
2. If the awakening factor of Mindfulness is not present<br />
in him, he knows "there is no awakening factor of Mindfulness<br />
in me."<br />
3. He knows how the un-arisen awakening factor of<br />
Mindfulness can arise.<br />
4. He knows how the arisen awakening factor of<br />
Mindfulness can be perfected by development.<br />
With continuous Mindfulness and strong concentration,<br />
not only the meditative objects (mind and body) but also the<br />
Mindfulness of them can become known to us successively.<br />
This is what we call "dual insight" {pati-vipassana) it is like the<br />
first thought moment that is known by the second. This is how<br />
we know Mindfulness to be present in us.<br />
Sometimes, we note the meditative objects but cannot<br />
penetrate deeply into the phenomena, since our Mindfulness<br />
is superficial and our concentration is not yet strong enough.<br />
Then, we can come to know that Mindfulness is not present<br />
in us. Based on these experiences, we are able to realize how<br />
Mindfulness can arise and be perfected.<br />
Investigation of Dhamma<br />
"Dhamma" here refers to the mental and physical<br />
phenomena, while "Investigation" means to see them this<br />
due! Insight is more obvious at the fifth stage of progressive<br />
vipassana insight (bhaya-nana), in which we can see the<br />
phenomena (objects to be noted) and the Mindfulness of<br />
them disappear in pair according to Patisambhida-magga.<br />
As they really are. So, ''Investigation of Dhamma"<br />
does not mean to analyze the dhamma (mind and body)<br />
using our rational thought process. If we observe the four<br />
meditative objects, such as the body (like the rising falling<br />
of the abdomen), feelings (like pleasure and pain), the mind<br />
(like thoughts), or dhamma (like seeing, hearing, etc.), we<br />
will discern mental and physical phenomena beyond the<br />
conceptual form or shape.<br />
For example, when we walk mindfully focusing on the<br />
feet, we can discern beyond the conceptual form of the feet<br />
the physical phenomena, such as lightness or heaviness,<br />
pressure or vibration, warmth or cold, and so on. Regarding<br />
mental phenomena, say, we have pain in our shoulders, if<br />
we are mindful of the pain; we will see the pain (with satl)<br />
distinctively and separately from the shoulder or the body. In<br />
other words, once we can observe pain without identifying it<br />
as my pain, the pain will no longer bother us. To discern mental<br />
and physical phenomena in this way means to investigate the<br />
Dhamma {dhamma-vicaya). So, "Investigation of Dhamma"<br />
or the discernment of mental and physical phenomena is<br />
just the natural outcome of developing mindfulness, the first<br />
awakening factor.<br />
The Other Awakening Factors<br />
With a clear discernment of mind and body, we will<br />
naturally become enthusiastic, energetic {viriya), gratified<br />
with our dhamma experience calm and tranquil {passaddha),<br />
mentally stable, concentrated {samadhi), and unmoved<br />
{upekkha) by pleasant or unpleasant sense-objects. Thus,<br />
the Seven Awakening Factors successively arise starting<br />
from mindfulness. In other words, they form a conditionally<br />
related sequence, with mindfulness as the Initial cause and<br />
foundation.<br />
This confirms that the development of these awakening<br />
factors Is a natural outcome of mindfulness. This causal<br />
sequence Is often described elsewhere In the discourses<br />
and proceeds from gratification to tranquility, happiness,<br />
concentration, and culminates with the arising of wisdom and<br />
realization.<br />
To Know the Awakening Factors the awakening factors<br />
does not mean to observe them deliberately but to understand<br />
them through our own experience as facets of the progressive<br />
vipassana Insight; or. In other words, to see them arising during<br />
the actual practice. We will become spontaneously aware of<br />
these facets when they become prominent during certain<br />
stages of vipassana Insight. According to the commentarial<br />
definition of sambodhi, these seven factors arise in a meditator<br />
starting from the fourth stage of vipassana.<br />
The awakening factors can be developed by a broad<br />
range of meditation exercises including, for example,<br />
contemplation of a decaying corpse, development of loving<br />
kindness, mindfulness of breathing, or contemplation of the<br />
three characteristics. This indicates that to contemplate the<br />
awakening factors does not mean to observe them deliberately<br />
but to see them arising while practicing meditation.<br />
Starting from the insight into arising and passing<br />
away (of mental and physical phenomena), a meditator<br />
develops the awakening factors and can be called sambodhi.<br />
(Lidayavayahanuppattito patthaya sambodhi-patipadayam<br />
thito nama hoti.) (from sub-commentary on Satipatthana<br />
Sutta) insight.<br />
According to the Progressive Vipassana Insight,<br />
however, "mindfulness" can become obvious starting from<br />
the first stage (i.e., the insight into mind and body {namarupa-pariccheda<br />
nana), ''investigation of dhamma" becomes<br />
vivid starting from the third stage (i.e., the insight into three<br />
common characteristics {samasana nana), "energy" and<br />
"gratification" are the most obvious among others at the<br />
fourth stage (i.e., the insight into arising and passing away<br />
{udayabbaya nana), and the last three factors, tranquility,<br />
concentration and equanimity, are most prominent at the<br />
eleventh stage, the insight that is unmoved by sense-objects,<br />
pleasant or unpleasant {sahkharupekkha-nana). During these<br />
stages, we will become aware of the corresponding awakening<br />
factors without deliberately trying to observe them.<br />
Indeed, these seven awakening factors are perfected and<br />
become known to us through the reflection of enlightenment<br />
{paccavekkhana nana) when we reach one of the four stages<br />
of maggaphata enlightenment.<br />
In this sense, the Buddha instructed us that, if an<br />
awakening factor is present in us, we should know that there is<br />
an awakening factor in us; if an awakening factor is not present<br />
in us, we should know that there is no awakening factor in<br />
us. We should know how the un-arisen awakening factors<br />
''Three common characteristics" refers to impermanent,<br />
insubstantial and impersonal natures of mind and body. These<br />
three characteristics begin to be known to us at the second<br />
stage of vipassana insight when we see mental and physical<br />
phenomena changing process by process (but not yet moment<br />
by moment). Can arise and how the arisen awakening factor<br />
can be perfected by development.<br />
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Definition of Behavior<br />
Definition of Habit<br />
A person is said to have a habit when a response,<br />
action or pattern of behavior is repeated over and over, even<br />
though that individual may be unaware of this repetitiveness.<br />
Personal habits may fall into three categories: beneficial,<br />
harmful and innocuous. Innocuous habits may just be part<br />
of the individuality and personality of a person and of no<br />
consequence or impediment to realizing full potential as a<br />
good human being. However, when we consider bad habits<br />
compared to good habits the consequences play a crucial role<br />
in the individual’s development and potential.<br />
By their very definition, habits are very hard to change<br />
once established. Firstly, one has to be made aware of the<br />
habit and, secondly, the individual must have the reasoning<br />
and motivation to break the habit. For many, even with reason<br />
and motivation, the craving or compulsion proves too much<br />
to overcome and the habit remains. There are many people<br />
who repeatedly try to give up a particular bad habit they have<br />
without success. Often, trying to give up becomes as much<br />
of a habit as actually achieving the goal, such is the power of<br />
bad habits. Bad habits are the manifestations caused by the<br />
intrusion of kilesa into our minds and are always destructive<br />
in one way or another.<br />
Good habits, especially if acquired during early<br />
Importance of Human Behavior<br />
And Making Choices….<br />
Most Venerable Phrarajbhavanajahn (Luang Por Dattajeevo Bhikkhu)<br />
Vice Abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya, Vice President of the Dhammakaya Foundation,<br />
Most Popular and Respected Dhamma Teacher & Author in Thailand.<br />
development and at the appropriate stages in our lives, have<br />
the opposite effect to bad habits. They give us the discipline<br />
and willpower to overcome kilesa before it can take hold, even<br />
to the extent of avoiding many of kilesa’s numerous avenues<br />
of approach altogether. If we by habit refrain from harmful<br />
addictive and habit-forming practices and behaviour, then<br />
we will not suffer the consequences of those bad habits. The<br />
consequences of our good and bad habits not only affect us in<br />
this lifetime, but carry on with us into the next lifetime and so<br />
on. Giving into bad habits perpetuates the habit of suffering<br />
from one lifetime to the next and therefore should not be<br />
considered carelessly.<br />
Once a bad habit has taken hold, it will require<br />
exceptional sustained and focused effort based on right<br />
education and practice to defeat. Even when defeated, it will<br />
remain in the background awaiting a moment of vulnerability<br />
to overpower its victim once more. Only when the victim has<br />
full awareness of its presence and is armed with the wisdom<br />
within the precepts and Dhamma will they be able to follow<br />
The Noble Path without fearing what is lurking in the shadows.<br />
The early stages of an individual’s life are influenced<br />
primarily by their home environment, the examples they are<br />
set by those around them and the standards of self-discipline<br />
imposed upon them. They are receiving directly and indirectly,<br />
habit-forming knowledge and education and are extremely<br />
vulnerable to kilesa during this period. Habits are easy to<br />
acquire or form, but difficult to break and should be formed<br />
only with the right guidance, right knowledge, informed<br />
awareness and enlightened respect for their consequences.<br />
The parent, guardian or teacher should seek to<br />
encourage good habits and make their pupils aware of their<br />
bad habits, giving them the support and guidance to eradicate<br />
or diminish bad habits whenever they become apparent.<br />
Three Essential Virtues in Developing Good Habits<br />
The student’s education is imperfect and critically flawed<br />
if it does not include the three essential virtues that must<br />
be practised in developing good habits, which are Respect,<br />
Patience and Discipline. The first of these three essential<br />
virtues is the respect we pay by acknowledging the goodness<br />
that exists in the environment, people, worthy behaviour,<br />
knowledge, objects, events and practices as truly embodied<br />
within the Dhamma.<br />
We reveal our respect with thoughts and physical<br />
displays of admiration and deference. Students must be<br />
encouraged not only to observe the goodness in others and<br />
things as described above but also to absorb these goodnesses<br />
into their own lives and behaviour. Then, with due humility in<br />
their conduct of body, thought and action, in return they will<br />
develop respect and love from all who know them.<br />
The second virtue is that of patience. This is the<br />
capability of an individual to remain calm when confronted<br />
with delay, provocation or unfavourable circumstances that<br />
impedes their personal progress or causes them to encounter<br />
difficulties. A person who posses patience will not suffer<br />
irritation or frustration but create goodness in their place. We<br />
can consider four kinds of patience. Firstly, that of the body<br />
in interaction with the environment, such as having to take a<br />
detour that requires walking further, or having to endure hot<br />
or cold weather conditions and all kinds of inconveniences of<br />
a physical nature.<br />
Secondly, there is the patience that is needed to deal<br />
with enduring sickness and pain from within our own bodies<br />
or, compassionately, through our emotions, for those of our<br />
loved ones or others who are in our care or of whom we are<br />
aware. Thirdly, emotional patience is required to deal with<br />
stress, eagerness, disappointment, despair and heartache.<br />
Fourthly, we must develop the patience to maintain endurance<br />
to overcome the negative intrusion of kilesa that constantly<br />
tries to deflect our positive thoughts, words and actions.<br />
This brings us to the third virtue, that of discipline or,<br />
more specifically, self-discipline, which is the ability to apply<br />
conscious self-control and orderliness to personal thoughts,<br />
words and actions. We may further clarify this discipline in<br />
terms of behaviour that is controlled, calm and in keeping<br />
with the requirements of being a good human being, a good<br />
teacher, a good student and a righteously upstanding member<br />
of the community.<br />
This discipline of the self reaches into the community by<br />
interaction, reducing contention and conflicts whilst creating<br />
a climate for right thought, word and deed to be applied in<br />
accordance with both the laws of the society in which we live<br />
and the moral laws expounded within Buddhist doctrine that<br />
apply to all human beings wherever they may be. With correct<br />
tuition, discipline becomes a habit of second nature that is<br />
employed in all aspects of the student’s life Teaching the<br />
Habits of Respect, Patie nce and Discipline The components<br />
that are required to teach efficiently and develop respect,<br />
patience and discipline in students are a peaceful and calm<br />
atmosphere, suitable facilities and equipment, and good<br />
approachable teachers who can manage and balance moral<br />
and academic studies.<br />
However, we should note that all this is to no avail<br />
if students have not been properly prepared for formal<br />
education in that they have developed the appropriate<br />
personal skills, values and habits in their early formative years<br />
within the home place or community in which they were<br />
raised and nurtured. If formative years have been neglected<br />
the teacher must first address a student’s desire to take good<br />
personal care and to do good things. Then this will create the<br />
right conditions for the student to recognize and seek the<br />
benefits of a good education.<br />
Effects of Habits Formed and Choices You Make The<br />
Law of Kamma<br />
We are all individual, each unique in our physical makeup<br />
and kamma. This is what makes one person different from<br />
another, even between identical twins. We have considered<br />
the Body and the Mind with the factors that influence their<br />
efficiency and operation but there is another factor that<br />
makes us who we are, and that is our kamma.<br />
Everyone is subject to the Law of Kamma. When we<br />
conduct ourselves in a moral and good way we are rewarded<br />
with good and desirable results. Some of the results will be<br />
apparent while others will be carried forward to our afterlife<br />
and future lives. The circumstances of our present life are<br />
results of the consequentiality of our thoughts and actions in<br />
previous lives.<br />
Living a good life is the preparation for being reborn as<br />
a human being in the next life in preferential circumstances.<br />
Alternatively, living a life with disregard to our human conduct<br />
and cognitive status as a species will create unfavourable<br />
kamma to the detriment of our future afterlives and rebirths.<br />
When accumulating bad kamma they are like prisoners in their<br />
own kammic cells, unaware of their perpetual imprisonment.<br />
Unfortunately, as aforementioned, this prison of life is so<br />
vast that we cannot see the walls, often fail to recognize our<br />
imprisonment, and fail to take action to remedy the effects of<br />
our at-risk and harmful situation.<br />
As kamma has such an important influence on our<br />
behaviour and circumstances, to know its nature empowers<br />
us with the ability to shape its character and the future<br />
influence it will exert over us. The meaning of kamma is action<br />
with intention; good kamma is action that is not swayed by<br />
greed, anger or delusion.<br />
We may have an effect on our kamma in three ways,<br />
through thought, speech and actions, mindful that good<br />
thoughts, words and actions produce good kamma, whilst<br />
bad thoughts, words and actions produce bad kamma, which<br />
equates with sufferings.<br />
Therefore, it is profoundly important for a good teacher<br />
to strive constantly to create good self-kamma. This is not only<br />
beneficial to the teacher but also provides a model of good<br />
practice for the pupil to look up to and respect. By creating<br />
good kamma from lifetime to lifetime, eventually the prison<br />
will be destroyed and the cycle of rebirth and suffering will<br />
transcend even the spiritual concept of heaven and hell,<br />
allowing the human entity to attain Nirvana.<br />
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Peace & Harmony in Pakistan….<br />
Dr. Pornchai Pinyapong<br />
President of World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB)<br />
Pakistan has been known as Islamic country for a long<br />
time. The state religion in Pakistan is Islam, which is practiced<br />
by about 95 – 98% of the 195,343,000 people of the nation.<br />
Pakistan has the second largest number of Muslims in the<br />
world after Indonesia. There are only about 2,000 Buddhist<br />
Families in the remote country and no Buddhist monks in this<br />
country.<br />
The name Pakistan literally means "land of the pure"<br />
but many times we also heard about the suicide bombs and<br />
politic crisis in Pakistan. Wikipedia reported Terrorist incidents<br />
in Pakistan in 2016, there are the Terrorist incidents every<br />
month and many people were killed about 03 incidents in<br />
every month.<br />
However, Pakistan had been the Buddhist Land before<br />
, Ghandara the cradle of civilization , first Buddha Statue was<br />
built here, Taxilla, Capital of Ghandara Civilization, has been<br />
known as a hub of Buddhism, a centre of learning, an urban<br />
metropolis and a meeting point of various cultures.<br />
Takibahi - we can see the great Buddhist place in the past.<br />
The Dharmarajika - a large Buddhist stupa for Dhammaracha<br />
in the area of Taxila are also World Heritage. In the museum<br />
most of the treasures are Buddha statues and things about<br />
Buddhism.<br />
After the Independent of Pakistan since 1947, there are<br />
many Buddhist Leaders and Peacemakers try to co-operate<br />
with the government and local people to promote some<br />
Buddha teaching as a way of life for the harmony and peace<br />
of society.<br />
Raja Tridiv Roy, King of Chakma in the Rangamati Hill<br />
tract, Chittagong, Bangladesh. He established All Pakistan<br />
Buddhist Association after 1971 and he was only one Buddhist<br />
Family in Islamabud, Pakistan. During his live time in Pakistan<br />
he welcomes Buddhist Leaders from many countries, before<br />
he passed away on <strong>September</strong> 2012.<br />
The World Alliance of Buddhists (WFB) representatives<br />
officially visited Pakistan on March 2010 with 4 monks 4 lay<br />
people as official guests of Pakistani Government.<br />
Peace Revolution Project –<br />
In this project, there are students learn meditation online<br />
from 214 countries regardless of race and religions. Pakistani<br />
people learning meditation online too. Save Mes Aynak<br />
Campaign by Prof. Dr. Tarsi and Dr. Nadia Tarsi , who working as<br />
an Archeologist and see the great valuable of Buddhist Site in<br />
Mes Aynak which far from Kabul, capital of Afghanistan about<br />
40 kilometers. Dr. Nardia worked with networking to Save Mes<br />
Aynak by asking Afghanistan Government to postpone doing<br />
Copper Mine in 2012 and at last the Government postpones<br />
doing the Copper Mine 03 years.<br />
Peace in Pakistan project started again on 2011, our<br />
team were invited to join the Interfaith Conference between<br />
Buddhism and Islam with participants from Pakistan, Thailand<br />
and some other countries by Social Civilization of Pakistan<br />
(SCP).<br />
First time we came to Pakistan, I am very surprised<br />
people are friendly and always smile. They think I was Chinese<br />
people; they loved Chinese people so much because China<br />
helps them a lot. At that time we have 02 Buddhist monks<br />
from Thailand came with us, the monks taught meditation in<br />
the conference, in Raja Tridiv Roy home, in the Buddhist Sites.<br />
They all very interested to learn to seek for inner peace, inner<br />
happiness inside our body.<br />
Many Medias report about Buddhist monks in the<br />
Buddhist world Heritage in Pakistan. The color of monk robes<br />
contrast with grey colour of the Buddhist sites rocks make<br />
the monks more outstanding and made the places look more<br />
sacred, colorful and lively.<br />
The first Interfaith Conference was successful especially<br />
many participants from Pakistan can learn meditation from<br />
Thai monk. So the 02nd Conference in Thailand in 2012 the<br />
topic was 'Buddhism, Sufism and Modernity'.<br />
Then the 03rd Conference come to Pakistan again the<br />
topic is "The Role of Islam and Buddhism in Promoting World<br />
Peace and Harmony" from 03 - 05 March, 2014, Pakistan. The<br />
Conference is so successful and have other activities such as<br />
visit the only one Sri Lanka Buddhist temple in Islamabad We<br />
have a chance to pray for world peace, meditate spread our<br />
loving kindness there, which take care by Sri Lankan Embassy.<br />
Pakistani friends were very interesting in our activities<br />
we had done and some follow us to do activities, some just<br />
observed but them all willingly to bring us to visit this place.<br />
“The Concept of Dharma in Buddhism and Shariah in Islam”<br />
on November 03 - 05, 2015, heald in Thailand. “Muslim and<br />
Buddhist sacred art and architecture” December 27 - 28, 2016,<br />
Pakistan for the 05th Conference we have had a chance to<br />
visit Taxilla, Dhammarajika stupa, ect and offering the Buddha<br />
Relics in Sri Lanka temple.<br />
Pakistani people want to work with others especially<br />
International level not limited themselves only Muslim<br />
community. Taxilla and Tak I Bahi are the good example of<br />
World Heritage. If Pakistani people still limited themselves<br />
both world heritage may be destroyed like Bamiyan in<br />
Afghanistan.<br />
Every morning when we have breakfast in the hotel,<br />
a lot of Pakistani people come to introduce them to us<br />
and give us their name cards ready to work with us in any<br />
fields of working. Pakistani scholar he can explain all detail<br />
about Gandhara period and totally accepted this is became<br />
Buddhist Land before. We made circumbulation with<br />
Pakistani friends at Dhammarajika stupa. Pakistani friends<br />
also pay respect to the stupa with us, do circumbulation<br />
and make a wai. They were proud of this land making the<br />
remarkable and historic land of this country.<br />
The Conference continues every year in both Thailand<br />
and Pakistan and will be organizing in Sri Lanka too in the<br />
year 2018. From 2011 till 2016, the Interfaith Conference<br />
Buddhism & Islam make us can learning from each other,<br />
Education tour at Buddhist Sites & Friendship.<br />
Our next step we can join and working together for<br />
the betterment and harmony of society such as Study Tour,<br />
Renovation the Buddhist sites, meditation course in Pakistan,<br />
some Buddhist activities in the Buddhist sites.<br />
Conclusion<br />
Pakistan had been the Buddhist Land before, first<br />
Buddha Statue was built here during Ghandara period<br />
, Taxilla known as a hub of Buddhism. There are many<br />
Buddhist Leaders and Peacemakers tried to co-operate with<br />
the government and local people to promote some Buddha<br />
teaching as a way of life for the harmony and peace of<br />
society.<br />
Common goodness that we can work together such<br />
as Interfaith conference, study tour, meditation course,<br />
reservation world heritage may be the answer of cooperation<br />
for this period.<br />
We should find similarity in diversity or look in a<br />
positive way as one Buddhist scholars said that “Diversity”<br />
in a negative thinking may cause conflicts, but in a positive<br />
thinking is possible to bring about “beauty”. Just as a garden<br />
is beautiful with varieties of flowers, just so a human society<br />
with varieties of faiths.<br />
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"Ethics" and "morality" are usually mentioned<br />
in the same breath. Although they are closely related,<br />
they are not identical to each other. For example, the<br />
domain of morality does not necessarily include ethics,<br />
while the realization of ethics must be based on morality.<br />
"Ethics" refers to interpersonal relationships. However,<br />
without morality we cannot speak of ethics, leaving<br />
only ordinary interactions. The formation of ethics<br />
will not be complete without norms of morality.<br />
The meaning of morality is helping all those we interact with<br />
to gain benefits and peace, and as such it has the function of<br />
making friends. Confucius said: "Friendship with the upright;<br />
friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the learned."<br />
We all wish to make such kind of beneficial, wholesome<br />
friends.<br />
But we should also reflect: Am I a beneficial, wholesome<br />
friend to others? Do I possess the necessary qualities and<br />
requirements for being a beneficial, wholesome friend? If<br />
we do, friends of ours who were not good at the outset will<br />
transform for the better. This is the function of a beneficial<br />
friend. The key to the realization of morality lies in ourselves.<br />
If we only expect or demand kindness from others, asking<br />
them to be "upright, sincere and learned friends" of ours,<br />
while failing to reciprocate, that would be immoral of us. I<br />
must emphasize once again: In interpersonal relationships,<br />
ethics cannot be formed without the element of morality.<br />
To develop correct concepts of morality we must start from<br />
ourselves. We should give of and contribute ourselves what<br />
Buddhism terms "compassion" or "benevolence" as it is<br />
popularly referred to today so that those interacting with us<br />
attain peace, and gain benefit and help. At the very least, we<br />
should not cause them loss.<br />
The Five Ethics of ancient Confucianism refer to the<br />
ethical relationships between sovereign and subject, father<br />
and son, husband and wife, elder and younger, and between<br />
friends. These seemed to suffice in a traditional society.<br />
However, the Five Ethics cannot sufficiently cover the<br />
interpersonal relationships of modern-day society.<br />
Ethics must be based on morality….<br />
Most Venerable Master Sheng Yen Thero<br />
The Founder - Dharma Drum Mountain Temple, Taiwan, The mainstream teachers of<br />
Chan Buddhism & Chan master (M.A., PhD)<br />
The Six Ethics campaign, which consists of Family Ethics,<br />
Living Ethics, School Ethics, Environmental Ethics, Workplace<br />
Ethics, and Ethics between Ethnic Groups. Within each of the<br />
different areas covered by the Six Ethics, each one of us plays<br />
not only a single role, but also actually multiple roles.<br />
Whatever roles we play, we should develop the correct<br />
concept: We should contribute ourselves for the sake of<br />
fulfilling our roles and responsibilities, instead of fighting<br />
for our interests; while seeking our own benefits we should<br />
respect others and care about them.<br />
Therefore, greed and fighting for gain are not in line with<br />
ethics; the value of ethics lies in serving and giving. We must<br />
bear this same concept in mind with any of the Six Ethics.<br />
Family Ethics<br />
Family ethics focus on the mutual help and interaction<br />
within the three interpersonal relationships of husband and<br />
wife, parents and children, and siblings. People today tend to<br />
have small families, or at most with three generations living<br />
under the same roof, although the latter has become rare.<br />
The most common problems facing small families<br />
of modern society are: Parents are not showing adequate<br />
concern and care towards their children, while children's filial<br />
piety, respect, and concern towards their parents are flagging.<br />
For instance, the media often reports on the<br />
descendants of prominent celebrities fighting amongst<br />
themselves over their inheritance, or even filing law suits<br />
against each other. They are only calculating their personal<br />
interests and do not consider harmony in the family.<br />
The family forms the most basic constituent of any society. A<br />
healthy and happy family forms the cornerstone of a happy<br />
and harmonious society.<br />
Living Ethics<br />
The main point of the living ethics is frugality, simplicity<br />
and refraining from waste. Living Ethics is closely related to<br />
the other five ethics because any occasion forms a part of<br />
human life. Once, I saw an advertisement about a girl who<br />
had bought many clothes but was not necessarily happy. In<br />
fact, our true material needs are few, but we simply want too<br />
much: The more we want, the more we feel dissatisfied. The<br />
other meaning of the living ethics is respecting both others<br />
and ourselves; in addition to benefiting ourselves, we should<br />
also benefit others. We'll often see people throwing trash, fruit<br />
peelings, cigarette butts, and pieces of paper on the streets<br />
and in public places. Those who litter may think, "Somebody<br />
else will clean it up anyway, as long as I don't have to do it."<br />
Such an attitude and conduct damages the environment,<br />
and is utterly irresponsible and immoral. People acting this<br />
way do not realize that they are greatly deficient in the living<br />
ethics. Realization of the living ethics starts from each one<br />
of us. We should not only cherish and make good use of all<br />
the resources in our life, but also take care of and respect our<br />
natural environment. While seeking our own convenience, we<br />
should also respect the rights of others.<br />
School Ethics<br />
The focus of school ethics is on teachers, students and<br />
parents. I have heard complaints from many teachers, students<br />
and parents. For example, teachers complain that nowadays<br />
students don't act like students. Whatever mistakes students<br />
make, teachers can't discipline, admonish, and exhort them,<br />
or their parents will come to the school to argue with them.<br />
On the other hand, when students don't get good grades,<br />
the parents will say it's because the teachers are not doing their<br />
job properly. All the teachers can do at this is sigh regretfully.<br />
Seen from the parents' perspective, they, too, complain that<br />
nowadays teachers have little or no enthusiasm or patience,<br />
that they just resort to physical or verbal punishment, and<br />
that they just put in their hours with no real commitment to<br />
educating and nourishing young minds.<br />
Healthy and heart-warming school ethics lies in how<br />
to enable mutual respect and support and harmonious<br />
interactions among students, teachers and parents, making<br />
up the main body of school ethics. Parents and students<br />
should respect and show gratitude towards teachers, while<br />
teachers should treat parents and students with respect, talk<br />
with parents, show care and understanding towards their<br />
students, teaching in accordance with each student's ability,<br />
to develop their potential.<br />
Environmental Ethics<br />
The main concern of environmental ethics is the<br />
natural ecology, including living creatures and non-biological<br />
resources and environments. Non-biological resources,<br />
such as minerals, petroleum and coal, are not living beings,<br />
but are connected to the ecology. Therefore the concern<br />
for environmental ethics discussed here involves the direct<br />
protection of the organic ecology and indirect protection of<br />
various resources by maintaining sustainable balances among<br />
them.<br />
All plants and natural resources are related to the<br />
survival of humanity. As consumers of natural resources we<br />
humans should cherish and protect them. Today it is generally<br />
acknowledged that we have only one Earth and so it cannot<br />
be destroyed. By cutting down a tree, flattening a hill, catching<br />
protected animals our Earth may not perish.<br />
However, the interaction of mankind with nature, the<br />
unbridled exploitation and destruction of natural resources<br />
all serve to speed up the destruction of the Earth. Although,<br />
nature doesn't speak for itself, we shouldn't waste any<br />
materials (resources) we use in our daily life, either those<br />
we have bought ourselves or those we receive from others<br />
as gifts. Concern for environmental ethics involves efforts to<br />
enrich the Earth's ecology and natural resources and to bring<br />
about greater sustainability for the Earth as a whole, and<br />
create a safer environment for the future survival of mankind.<br />
This way of caring for and contributing to natural<br />
resources and the environment is exactly the same as the way<br />
we care for and take care of our family and relatives. That is<br />
the kind of environmental ethics we are promoting.<br />
Workplace Ethics<br />
Ethics of the workplace covers a great range of workplaces<br />
in the public and private sectors, education and academia,<br />
agriculture, industry, commerce, and non-profit organizations.<br />
Any workplace involves interpersonal interactions, whereby<br />
each individual should fulfill their responsibilities and duties,<br />
work with enthusiasm, give of themselves to their colleagues,<br />
superiors, subordinates and society, helping others to achieve<br />
their goals.<br />
For example, in an industrialized and commercial<br />
society, the enterprise ethics mainly concern the interaction<br />
between workforce and management, corporations and<br />
their collaborative partners, and between corporations<br />
and consumers, all of which should observe their roles and<br />
fulfill their duties. Most of the entrepreneurs I know are in<br />
despair over the difficulties of being an entrepreneur. Those<br />
responsible for the enterprise bring their ideas, intelligence,<br />
capital and resources, but instead of appreciating them<br />
their staff tends to treat them as enemies, and asking and<br />
demanding for more and more.<br />
From the staff's standpoint, however, what they see is<br />
different. They feel the employers exploit their time, resources<br />
and even their lives. After giving so much of their time and<br />
effort, the employees only get disproportionate rewards in<br />
the end. This is a common problem in the corporate world,<br />
with the workforce and the management in opposition to<br />
each other, both parties demanding more rights and benefits<br />
from the other. That is not a healthy entrepreneurial ethic.<br />
Ethics between ethnic groups means showing respect and<br />
tolerance towards other ethnic groups, cultures, languages,<br />
customs, and religions different from ours.<br />
When coming into contact with other ethnic groups,<br />
we mustn't act from a sense of superiority and look down on<br />
them, and we should definitely not be hostile to them. Rather,<br />
we should interact with them in all sincerity so as to learn<br />
from and serve our new friends.<br />
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Those who hold such views do so due to a lack of proper<br />
understanding of the Dhamma. The analysis of the results<br />
and benefits of morality and meditation, which are leading<br />
practices in the spiritual domain of the Buddha’s teachings,<br />
reveals that one can live in peace, unity and harmony as a<br />
member of a normal family in present day society.<br />
One can also gain a better rebirth as a result of leading a<br />
virtuous life in accordance with morality (sila) and meditation<br />
practices (bhavana)<br />
There are five benefits resulting from leading a moral<br />
life. The first one is, acquiring and enhancing one’s material<br />
gains - (Bhogakkhandam Adhigachchanti)<br />
Buddhist moral conduct enables us to control our senses.<br />
It is true that one can live in this world without having food<br />
for the senses. The eye needs visual objects, the ear needs<br />
auditory objects, the tongue needs taste, the nose needs<br />
smells and the body requires tangible objects.<br />
When enjoying amiable and pleasurable objects we get<br />
attached to them. With an increasing attachment, one tries<br />
to indulge in them. If one does not know the limits and the<br />
purpose of using these sense objects, one would spend all of<br />
one’s earning to gain more and more sensual satisfaction.<br />
Besides, if one’s income is not sufficient to meet the<br />
expenses, anything would be done to earn more and more<br />
money, regardless of its moral validity. Considered against<br />
such a backdrop, it is obvious that observing precepts to<br />
abstain from excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures haas a<br />
great economic advantage.<br />
The second one is, gaining popularity - (Kalyano<br />
Kittisaddo) - This is the second benefit resulting from being<br />
a virtuous person. It is true that some educated and talented<br />
people become quite popular due to their creative and<br />
productive performances. But, this type of fame spreads only<br />
to a certain extent for a limited time only. Real popularity<br />
springs up automatically when one behaves in a virtuous way.<br />
(A stanza to come in here)<br />
The fragrance of flowers like sandalwood, tagara flowers<br />
and jasmine does not blow against the wind. But, the perfume<br />
of a virtuous person blows in all directions and pervades the<br />
whole atmosphere.<br />
Life with benefits….<br />
Most Venerable Royal Pundit Meegahakumbure Dhammagavesi Thero<br />
The Chief Prelate of the Malwatta Chapter of the Siamese Sect in Australia, Chief<br />
Incumbent of Sri Lanka Buddhist Vihara, Lankarama, Schofield, Sydney, NSW, Australia.<br />
Another stanza says whosoever is perfect in morality<br />
and possesses the right view, is established in the Dhamma,<br />
speaks the truth and fulfills one’s duties, is highly popular and<br />
respected by everyone. Popularity cannot be gained by force.<br />
The third one is, they have the ability to enter with selfconfidence,<br />
into groups that are higher in morality and higher<br />
in social status - (visarado upasam khamati)<br />
Evil doers are always suspicious of their behavior.<br />
Although, they are happy when committing unwholesome<br />
activities due to a lack of understanding of the gravity of what<br />
they do, they will become anxious and restless when they<br />
realize the evil consequences of such conduct.<br />
They will feel guilty and worried for what they have<br />
done. Therefore, they will have no courage to go to different<br />
groups of people. Self-confidence is essential for a better<br />
spiritual and social life.<br />
The negative kammic energy that is generated at the<br />
time when one engages in immoral activities does not allow<br />
one to acquire self-confidence and positive ways of thinking.<br />
That is why immoral people cannot associate with groups of<br />
people who are higher in morality and higher in social status.<br />
The fourth one is, death without confusion - (Asammlho<br />
kalam karoti) - Dying with an impure mind is a great curse.<br />
When some people are on their death bed it is seen that they<br />
display great mental confusion through their body language,<br />
facial impressions, movements and words. This indicates that<br />
they are experiencing suffering at that very moment.<br />
Generally, people become confused at the time of death<br />
because they begin to remember the unholy words they have<br />
spoken, deeds they have done and thoughts they have had<br />
during the early stages of their life.<br />
On the other hand, some people are extremely happy<br />
and peaceful during the last hours of their life. Regular practice<br />
of meditation and living a virtuous life are the surest factors<br />
for dying with a peaceful mind, free of confusion.<br />
The fifth one is, birth is happy world - (Parammarana<br />
brahmalokupanga hoti) - If one can maintain peace of mind at<br />
the time of one’s death, it would be a great blessing for him.<br />
Regenerative kammic power and repressed mental images<br />
and memories appear in the dying mind. If those things are<br />
positive, then the dying person will be happy and peaceful.<br />
That can lead one to be born in happy realms. In<br />
Buddhism, human world and heavenly worlds are presented<br />
as worlds where beings can enjoy sensual pleasures (Kama<br />
sugati) and in the Brahma worlds there are two categories,<br />
one with material form (Rupa loka) and the other one without<br />
the material form or formless (Arupa loka). The beings in these<br />
worlds do not intend to enjoy sensual pleasures.<br />
On the other hand, negative mental images and negative<br />
memories will make a dying person unhappy. They can lead<br />
one to be born in unhappy realms. These four kinds of realms<br />
are hell, (naraka) animal, (tirachchana) spirits (peta), demy<br />
gods (asura).<br />
By the way, there are eleven benefits to be gained by<br />
practicing meditation on loving kindness. Those are…<br />
01. Sleeps comfortably - (Sukham supati) 02. Awakes<br />
comfortably - (Sukham patibhujjati) 03. No evil dreams - (Na<br />
papakam supinam Passati) 04. Dear to follow human beings<br />
- (Manussanam piyohoti) 05. Dear to non-humans beings<br />
- (Amanussanam piyohoti) 06. Deities too protect them -<br />
(Devata rkkanti) 07. Fire, poison or weapons will not harm -<br />
(Nassa aggiva visam va sattam va khamati) 08. Concentration<br />
comes quickly - (Tuvatam chittam samadiyati) 09. Acquires a<br />
pleasant countenance - (Mukha vanno vippaseedati) 10. Dies<br />
without being confused - (Asammulho kammam karoti) 11. If<br />
he fails to attain Nibbana in this life, he will be born in the<br />
Brahma world - (Brahma lokupago hoti)<br />
Dying with one of the first four meditative absorptions<br />
(Rupavachara jhyana) leads to birth in a sublime world of<br />
Material Realm (Rupa loka). Similarly, dying with one of the<br />
next four meditative absorptions (Arupavachara jhyna) leads<br />
to birth in one of the Formless Sublime worlds (Arupa loka).<br />
Many of these benefits apply to this present life. Only<br />
four of them apply to future lives. Above all, Nibbanic bliss<br />
itself can be experienced in one’s own present life.<br />
Now, let us look at some others relevant teachings of the<br />
Buddha, in respect to the material and spiritual progress of lay<br />
person’s life, as described in Vyagghapajja Sutta in Anguttara<br />
Nikaya.<br />
On one occasion the Buddha was residing in a small<br />
village called Kakkarapatta in the Kolian country. A lay person<br />
by the name Dighajanu approached the Buddha and sat down<br />
after saluting him. He then explained to the Buddha the type<br />
of life they led.<br />
In reply, the Buddha said, “there are four supportive<br />
factors which are conductive to welfare and happiness in the<br />
present life” Those are…<br />
01. Sustained Endeavor - (Utthana sampada) - In<br />
whatever occupation by means of which one makes a living -<br />
whether framing, trading, cattle rearing, archery, serving the<br />
king or practicing any other craft, he should be skillful and not<br />
be lethargic. He should be smart and tactful in organizing and<br />
carrying them out.<br />
02. Securing protection - (Arakkha samapada) -<br />
Whatever wealth that one has acquired righteously through<br />
continual endeavor with one’s physical and mental effort, by<br />
the sweat of one’s brow, must be carefully guarded. It should<br />
be protected so that it would not be seized by the king, stolen<br />
by robbers, washed away by floods or burnt up by fires. It<br />
should not be allowed to fall in to the hands of wrongful heirs.<br />
03. Good friendship - (Kalyana mittata) - Wherever a<br />
person lives, in a community whether big or small, there<br />
could be elders or juniors who are highly cultured, endowed<br />
with faith (saddha), virtue (sila), generosity (caga) and wisdom<br />
(panna). One should meet with them and keep company with<br />
them. One must converse with them and engage in discussions<br />
with them. One would then be able to gain much from their<br />
company. Though such association, one should develop faith,<br />
virtue, generosity and wisdom.<br />
04. Balanced living - (Sama jivikarta) - A person who<br />
correctly estimates the size of his income and expenses will<br />
lead a balanced life, without being extravagant or greedy. His<br />
income should be above his expenses and not the other way<br />
around. It is like holding a common balance in one’s hand to<br />
see which side is heavy and which side is light.<br />
I would like to commence this essay with a question<br />
“Can we live a normal life in society whilst practicing as true<br />
Buddhists?”<br />
There is a misconception in some people that Buddhism<br />
is something only meant for the next life. Therefore, they<br />
think that Buddhism should be practiced in the last days of<br />
their lives.<br />
Again, there are others who hold the view that Buddhism<br />
cannot be practiced by ordinary people, because it is so deep<br />
& lofty. To practice it one has to renounce one’s house hold life<br />
& become a monk.<br />
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“Zen Life<br />
Buddhism<br />
One belt & one<br />
road” Chinese<br />
International<br />
Conference in<br />
China….<br />
The “Zen Life Buddhism - one belt & one road” Chinese<br />
medicine green world exchange International Conference<br />
held at Conch Convention Centre premises Xuzhou, Nanjing,<br />
China on <strong>September</strong> 04 - 06, <strong>2017</strong> under the leadership of<br />
the Chairman & CEO - Zen Life Well Some Medical Technology<br />
Institute in China.<br />
On the occasion, MOU (Memorandum of understanding)<br />
signed between Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macaw, Bangladesh, Sri<br />
Lanka and China. This agreements including sharing Dhamma<br />
activities, promotion campaigns, Cultural programmes &<br />
Chinese Buddhism medical technology exchanges<br />
between above countries. The MOU singed by Dr.Ho<br />
- Chairman & CEO - Zen Life Well Some Medical<br />
Technology Institute in China & other countries<br />
representatives.<br />
Well Some Medical enterprise introduced their<br />
newly medical products at the conference. Their<br />
purpose is with the heart of the Tao of nature embodies<br />
the combination of the traditional culture into modern<br />
science and technology. And their mission is to carry<br />
forward the Chinese medical culture and support<br />
human health.<br />
The Well Some Medical enterprise spirit is<br />
integrity and pragmatic Houde health innovation. Their<br />
concept is the only source of charity Lide honest cast<br />
base through science and their vision is to create an<br />
excellent national brand for Chinese medicine in the<br />
diet.<br />
Most Venerable Dr. Bhiksuni Ming Yu - the<br />
President of Chinese Young Buddhist Association in<br />
Taiwan & the Honorary Adviser of the World Alliance<br />
of Buddhists (WAB) and President of the Outstanding<br />
Women in Buddhism Awards and Mr. Zhang Lichao -<br />
the Party Secretary & Secretary General and Mr. Lou<br />
Genyong - the Outreach Director also participated.<br />
Buddhika Sanjeewa<br />
After the visit to China<br />
Sponsored by Srilankan Airlines<br />
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The Responsibility of Teacher in Theravada<br />
Buddhism for the Globalised World.…<br />
Most Venerable Mediyawe Piyarathana Thero,<br />
(M.A.) Lecturer in English, Coordinator for External English Courses, Webmaster, Bhiksu<br />
University of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.<br />
There are many responsibilities of teacher in Theravāda<br />
Buddhism which can be implemented in the globalized<br />
world. As the greatest teacher, the Buddha accomplished<br />
his responsibility showing us the way to get the deliverance<br />
as the final goal of life while giving us the right path to lead<br />
our lives. The followers of the Buddha have to fulfil certain<br />
responsibilities for the benefit of the society as a whole.<br />
The Buddha preached the doctrine that can be followed by<br />
any person in the globalised world. Therefore, the many<br />
responsibility of teacher in Theravāda Buddhism is to show<br />
the Buddha’s path in its pristine nature all the human beings<br />
in the globalised world for getting the benefit of life as human<br />
beings relating to worldly life and the beyond.<br />
In Buddhism, teacher is defined as a person with<br />
immeasurable cognition, recollection and conception. So,<br />
teacher should be a person with a vast knowledge, great<br />
behaviour and with special objectives for serving everyone<br />
in need in the entire world. Teachers presented in Buddhism<br />
are in a position change the globalised world working as<br />
the true followers of the Buddha. According to Buddhist<br />
discourses, parents are also considered as the first teachers<br />
since they direct children in the correct path. So, a Buddhist<br />
teacher should be a person with great learning and honorary<br />
behaviour leading various people in the correct path.<br />
When the responsibility of teacher in Theravāda<br />
Buddhism is concerned, it is possible to point out that it is<br />
not limited to the fulfilling of monastic services. But, it paves<br />
the way to serve the entire human beings. A significant place<br />
has been given to the personality development of person.<br />
Personality development should be done by a Buddhist<br />
teacher in a gradual process through learning, training and<br />
going in the path step by step. Development of physical and<br />
mental personality is very significant in this respect. The<br />
visible composition of the human personality is the body. The<br />
mental composition of human personality is sensitive. Four<br />
kinds of mental composition like feeling, knowing, mental<br />
activities, and awareness is without the visible composition.<br />
Personality concept presented in Buddhism means the<br />
physical and mental composition arranged in the conventional<br />
way. As the being is a composition of these factors, it is not<br />
possible to control these factors. Therefore, the personality<br />
has the feature of ever-changing. Since the law of changing is<br />
worldwide, it affects various things in life leading to cause and<br />
effect theory.<br />
According to the nature of personality development, its<br />
nature changes a person from birth to death. Personality means<br />
the organisation of one’s life. The responsibility of teacher<br />
in Theravāda Buddhism is to train a person to understand<br />
the real nature of life through internal peace. According to<br />
Buddhism, education should widen the knowledge on life.<br />
Through education, a teacher should motivate a student to<br />
under his or her personality of life. A teacher in Theravāda<br />
Buddhism plays a vital role in helping people to understand<br />
their own personality. If a person in a globalised world can<br />
understand the real nature of life, it will pave the way for him<br />
to get away from evil. The knowledge about life will make a<br />
person intelligent giving him the opportunity to see at life<br />
in a realistic manner. Therefore, teachers in the globalised<br />
world should try their level best to enlighten the wisdom of<br />
everyone to get the right vision of life in order to lead perfect<br />
lives. According to Salla Sutta, the profound teachings in<br />
Buddhism can be realised clearly and spent a happy life by<br />
only those with intelligent.<br />
So, it is obvious that personality is connected with life<br />
formed through education. With the personality development<br />
of man, unlimited virtues can be established in the globalised<br />
world. The responsibility of a teacher in Theravāda Buddhism<br />
is to give the proper understanding of life to people developing<br />
them with good attitudes based on the teachings found in<br />
various Buddhist discourses. Therefore, the responsibility of<br />
teacher in Theravāda is very fruitful in forming a good society<br />
in the globalised world.<br />
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These three words are very frequently heard and seen<br />
in international media both electronic as well as print. Often<br />
also the local electronic media have many programs under<br />
this same heading. In my recent brief survey, I noted that all<br />
these programs or articles are about other countries, other<br />
organizations, other’s problems and of other people. Inside<br />
stories about ecosystem, fauna and flora of nations and<br />
continents, natural resources, natural disasters etc are also<br />
often aired by electronic media.<br />
But these inside stories about organizations and people<br />
are always about other people and organizations and never<br />
about own organizations or self. Even the so called multilateral<br />
organizations are quick to point index finger at others, mainly<br />
countries in Africa and Asia without realizing that three other<br />
fingers are pointed towards that organization. Thus it appears<br />
that people are very happy and quick to talk and comment<br />
on others but never of them, and often the comments in TV<br />
and Radio can be the personal ideas of the presenter or few<br />
others. As they say you see clearly the hair in the other’s eye<br />
but never the Oak tree in your own eye.<br />
This inside story is not about others, but how we must<br />
see ourselves. Then we will realize that we are wasting our<br />
lifespan of about 75 to 80 years by talking about other<br />
things and other<br />
people and which<br />
talk is often<br />
frivolous and<br />
multiplication<br />
of just<br />
mere words.<br />
For<br />
example<br />
what<br />
do they<br />
do at<br />
United<br />
Nations?<br />
The only<br />
thing they<br />
say is<br />
The Inside Story….<br />
Sugath Rajapakse<br />
Formerly Senior Commercial Manager at Sri Lankan Airlines and presently Consultant<br />
to Air India GSA in Sri Lanka.<br />
about others and not about themselves. This attitude has<br />
lead to the present world situation which resembles that of<br />
a festering wound and which none want to heal but keep<br />
aggravating further.<br />
The recent launch of an ICBM by North Korea has created<br />
much fear and anger in the mindset of other nation leaders.<br />
Yet the rhetoric is mostly vituperative and not conciliatory<br />
towards resolving the problem. Subsequent test of a Hydrogen<br />
Bomb has caused fierce exchange in hard language between<br />
North Korea and USA. As the Enlightened One said, hatred is<br />
never appeased by hatred in this world; by non-hatred alone<br />
is hatred appeased. This is an eternal law. (Dhammapada 1. 5)<br />
So how can we positively introspect on us? First thing<br />
that we need to know is who is this I? The traditional pattern<br />
is to use the name, of the ancestral family history, social<br />
position, somatic looks, attire, financial strength, the global<br />
accolades or awards received etc. But all these details are very<br />
cosmetic and external.<br />
In the co-dependent arising, volitional formations lead<br />
to consciousness and that to nama-rupa or name-form. As<br />
explained by Arahath Saripuththa in the Nala Kalapa Sutta<br />
the name-form and consciousness are like two bundles of<br />
bamboo leaning on each other. If one were to be pulled off<br />
the other will fall and vice versa.<br />
In the Jata Sutta, replying to the question of a god,<br />
Enlightened One said, “yaththa namancha rupancha asesan<br />
uparujjathi, patigan rupa sannacha eththasa chiddathe jata”.<br />
“Where the name-form (nama-rupa) along with impingement<br />
and form-perception is totally stopped without a trace there<br />
the vortex is totally stopped”. This is the consciousness of<br />
an Arahath also known as non-illustrated consciousness<br />
(anidassana vingnana).<br />
But the consciousness of the worldly people is illustrated<br />
with name-form of six main ones, of form-perception,<br />
sounds, odor/smell, taste, touch/contact and things. In these<br />
six categories there could be trillions of illustrations in the<br />
consciousness. Broadly these illustrations can be classified<br />
under three categories, 01 - Raga or attachment/desire 02 -<br />
Dwesha or hatred/anger 03 - Moha or delusion.<br />
The first two arise because of the delusion of believing in<br />
a self. This belief of self-pervades all of our six touch- agencies<br />
leading to all the misery. Yet the foolish worldly people do<br />
not realize this and keep harping on others and all the time<br />
either try to correct others or to emotionally hurt and blame<br />
others without realizing that each of those actions only hurt<br />
themselves. These people who criticize others often try to<br />
glorify themselves with many cosmetic and superficial things<br />
creating a high self-conceit in them.<br />
There is also the grave danger to those who stir hatred,<br />
greed in others with their actions and words. The media<br />
especially the electronic, the social and print are in the<br />
forefront of creating the disturbances in this world and those<br />
who through their actions or words cause anger, hatred, greed<br />
and desire in the minds of others are the people who will be<br />
impacted. What was said in a forum of one or two people<br />
gets aired to the whole world with the media’s own additions<br />
causing tremendous stress to millions of others.<br />
During the time the Enlightened One was dwelling at the<br />
Jethavana Vihar in Sravaththi, a person named Nata Gamini<br />
(Nata – Dance, Gamini - Leader) came to city of Sravaththi<br />
with a group of 500 female dancers. One evening he came to<br />
see the Buddha and after worshipping The Buddha sat to one<br />
side and asked, “Enlightened One our teachers told us that<br />
when we go from city to city and entertain people with our<br />
dances, then after death we will be born in heavenly abodes.<br />
Is that true?” The Enlightened One told the dance leader not<br />
asks that question.<br />
Yet he asked again and again and on the third occasion<br />
the Enlightened One said, “Gamini when a human or a godly<br />
person ask the same question from Buddha three times<br />
then the Buddha has to reply. Gamini when you and your<br />
dancers dance in front of the audience, your attire and your<br />
body movements and sounds cause two things namely Raga,<br />
desire/craving or Dwesha, anger/hatred. Because of your<br />
actions and words causing the defilement of the minds of<br />
others, you accrue demerits and such people after death will<br />
be born in hell.”<br />
The dance leader began to cry and the Enlightened<br />
One said that is why I told you not to ask in the first place.<br />
Then the dance leader said, “Marisa I am not crying because<br />
of that but because our teachers has mislead us to believe a<br />
different thing”. Then the dance leader wiping his tears asked<br />
to be ordained and once ordained as a Bhikku, went forth in<br />
meditation and soon became an Arahath.<br />
When one influences another to illustrate that person’s<br />
consciousness with negative illustrations of hatred, craving,<br />
desire enmity etc, then that persons mind will get defiled<br />
(from name-form there arise mind). Such defiling is extremely<br />
damaging to the influencer as well as the one influenced. If<br />
the person who got influenced to form an ill mind were to<br />
contemplate wisely (Yoniso Manasikara), will then realize<br />
that it is dangerous to self and will jettison any bad thoughts<br />
that may have arisen in the mind. But the influencer cannot<br />
escape and the negative impact of the influencer actions will<br />
follow just as the wheel of the chariot follow the Ox hoof<br />
(Dhammapada 1.1).<br />
The Cinema and Tele Drama is another aspect of our<br />
daily life, and often today unlike in the early days the contents<br />
are highly volatile and bound to defile the consciousness of<br />
viewers. If the people, actors & actresses act in such a way<br />
that their actions and words as well as the attire influence the<br />
viewers in a negative way then those too are bound to reap<br />
the harvest which will not be to their liking in this Sansara.<br />
However even such people when they realize their folly<br />
and move away, they are not bound to be impacted provided<br />
they do the Kusala Actions that will cover the negative impact.<br />
“Yassa papam katam kammam kuselena pithiyathi, so<br />
imam lokam pabhasethi, abbha mutto va chandima”. One who<br />
by good covers the evil he has done, illuminates this world like<br />
the moon freed from a cloud. (Dhammapada 13.173)<br />
One can develop the mind to ensure that no amount<br />
of such external actions would defile that persons mind with<br />
practice of Mindfulness Meditation. In the Kayanupassana,<br />
the first of the four ways of observing breath a person can<br />
do both Mindfulness Meditation as well as Insight Meditation.<br />
The first five steps of Observing the in and out breath with<br />
mindfulness, observing the long in and out breath, observing<br />
the short in and out breath, observing the tactile sensations<br />
that arise in the body and stilling of the feeling of the Bodily<br />
Formations (in and out breath) are in the Mindfulness aspect<br />
of meditation.<br />
Abiding in contemplating the body internal, abiding in<br />
contemplating the body external and abide in contemplating<br />
body both internal-external, abide in contemplating the body<br />
in its nature of arising, abide in contemplating the body in<br />
its nature of vanishing, abide in contemplating the body<br />
in its nature of arising-vanishing are in the Insight aspect<br />
meditation.<br />
Thus the wise even if having erred earlier will realize the<br />
folly and will begin to tread this sublime path to purification. In<br />
this way one will be able to find the ultimate insight happiness<br />
of Nibbana. Those who are under the influence of Mara<br />
should realize it as soon as they can and try to deviate from<br />
that influence and get to the paternal territory of mindfulness.<br />
Even in the Sakunaggi Sutta (Hawk) this is well explained and<br />
how the young Quail escaped from the clutches of the Hawk<br />
and found refuge under the mound of earth.<br />
People who are all the time talking about others, other<br />
nations, other organizations but not look to self and correct<br />
any faults are just like the cowherds who look after other’s<br />
cattle counting the animals morning, noon and night but<br />
never receive the milk, butter, ghee, curd from those cattle.<br />
Our world is full of people who are not virtuous, and this<br />
must be realized so that one will not go under their influence.<br />
Just as a Tusker going to war bear the pain of arrows that are<br />
shot towards it’s body and strive to achieve ultimate victory<br />
over the enemy, so should the wise act to find the ultimate<br />
sublime happiness of Nibbana.<br />
“Aham nago va sangame capato patitam saram<br />
ativakyam titikhissam; dussilo hi bahujjano” - As an elephant<br />
in battle withstands arrows shot from bows all around, even<br />
so I will endure abuse. Many are those who lack morality.<br />
(Dhammapada 23. 320) References: 01 - Translation of<br />
Majjima Nikaya – Bhikku Nanamoli and Bhikku Bodhi 02 -<br />
Dhammapada - Translation.<br />
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f.!rjd¾y jf.af.dv iS,dkkao kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia<br />
b;d,sfha m%Odk ix>kdhl" l;dkshd isis,s fn!oaO úydrdêm;s" ioaO¾u lS¾;s Y%S<br />
mskaj;aks" wms fï iEu fohla u .kafk ;DIaKdfjka'<br />
±ä wdYdjlska' ;Kaydjlska' ta ksid wmsg t;kska wl=i,hla"<br />
je/oaola isoaO fjkjd' t;fldg wms hï hï foa m%;sfCIam<br />
lrkjd' wmsg fmakjd wj,iaik rEmhla' wms ta rEmh<br />
m%;sfCIam lrkjd' ta tlal u wms olskjd iqkaor rEmhla'<br />
blauKska u wms ta iqkaor rEmh ±ä ;DIaKdfjka hq;=j w,a,d<br />
.kakjd' t;fldg wms wj,iaik rEmh neyer lrkjd'<br />
m%;sfCIam lrkjd' ysf;a oafõYfhka ;uhs wms ta rEmh<br />
neyer lrkafk' t;fldg wms wfma ysf;ka wl=i,hla we;s<br />
lr.kakjd'<br />
fï foaj,a lsõfj kdu O¾u ms
The “how” is pretty simple. With breath meditation,<br />
sit straight, hands in your lap, right hand on top of your left<br />
hand, your legs crossed, right leg on top of the left leg, your<br />
eyes closed. That’s getting your body into position. Getting<br />
your mind into position means focusing it in on the present<br />
moment. Think about the breath and then notice how the<br />
breath feels as it comes in, how it feels as it goes out. Be aware<br />
of the breathing. That means you have two qualities at work:<br />
the thinking or mindfulness, which reminds you where to stay;<br />
and the alertness, which tells you what’s happening with the<br />
breath. Those are two of the qualities you want.<br />
The third quality is what the Buddha called atappa, or<br />
ardency, which means you really put an effort into it. You really<br />
focus on what you’re doing. You’re not just playing around.<br />
You give it your whole attention. You try to be ardently mindful<br />
and ardently alert.<br />
Ardently mindful means that you try to keep your<br />
mindfulness as continuous as possible, without any gaps. If<br />
you find that your mind has slipped off the breath, you bring it<br />
right back. You don’t let it dawdle here or sniff at the flowers<br />
there. You’ve got work to do and you want to get it done as<br />
quickly, as thoroughly, as possible. You have to maintain that<br />
kind of attitude. As the Buddha said, it’s like realizing that your<br />
head is on fire. You put it out as fast as possible. The issues<br />
we’re dealing with are serious issues, urgent issues: aging,<br />
illness, and death. They’re like fires burning away inside us. So<br />
you have to maintain that sense of ardency because you never<br />
know when these fires are going to flare up. You want to be as<br />
prepared as possible, as quickly as possible. So when the mind<br />
wanders off, be ardent in bringing it back.<br />
Ardently alert means that when the mind is staying<br />
with the breath, you try to be as sensitive as possible in<br />
adjusting it to make it feel good, and in monitoring the results<br />
of your efforts. Try long breathing to see how it feels. Try<br />
“Meditation” the practice of the<br />
Buddha’s teachings….<br />
Most Venerable Kakanadure Hemalankara Nayaka Thero<br />
The Chief Sangha Nayaka of Canada, the Founder and Chief Abbot of Ottawa Theravada<br />
Buddhist Vihara and Cultural Centre in Ottawa, Canada.<br />
short breathing, heavy breathing, light breathing, deep and<br />
shallow. The more refined you can make your awareness, the<br />
better the meditation goes because you can make the breath<br />
more and more refined, a more and more comfortable place<br />
for the mind to stay. Then you can let that sense of comfort<br />
spread throughout the body. Think of the breath not simply<br />
as the air coming in and out the lungs, but as the flow of<br />
energy throughout the whole body. The more refined your<br />
awareness, the more sensitive you can be to that flow. The<br />
more sensitive you are, the more refined the breath becomes,<br />
the more gratifying, the more absorbing it becomes as a place<br />
to stay.<br />
This is the basic trick in getting the mind to settle down<br />
in the present moment—you’ve got to give it something that<br />
it likes to stay with. If it’s here against its will, it’s going to<br />
be like a balloon you push under the water. As long as your<br />
hand has a good grasp on the balloon, it’s not going to pop<br />
up, but as soon as you slip a little bit, the balloon pops up out<br />
of the water. If the mind is forced to stay on an object that it<br />
really finds unpleasant, it’s not going to stay. As soon as your<br />
mindfulness slips just a little bit, it’s gone.<br />
Or you can compare it to parents raising a child. If the<br />
parents are constantly beating the child, the child is going<br />
to run away from home as soon as it finds the chance. Even<br />
if they lock the windows and doors, it’s going to look for an<br />
opening. As soon as they turn their backs, it’s gone. But if the<br />
parents are kind to the child—give it good things to play with,<br />
interesting things to do at home, lots of warmth and love—the<br />
child will want to stay home even if the windows and doors<br />
are left wide open.<br />
So, it is with the mind. Be friendly with it. Give it<br />
something good to stay within the present moment—like<br />
comfortable breathing. Maybe you can’t make the whole body<br />
comfortable, but make at least part of the body comfortable<br />
and stay with that part. As for the pains, let them be in the<br />
other part. They have every right to be there, so make an<br />
arrangement with them. They stay in one part, you stay in<br />
another. But the essential point is that you have a place where<br />
the mind feels stable, secure, and comfortable in the present<br />
moment. These are the beginning steps in meditation.<br />
This kind of meditation can be used for all sorts of<br />
purposes, but the Buddha realized that the most important<br />
purpose is to get the mind out of the whole cycle of aging,<br />
illness, and death. And when you think about it, there’s<br />
nothing more important than that. That’s the big problem in<br />
life and yet society tends to slough off the problems of aging,<br />
illness, and death, tends to push them off to the side because<br />
other things seem more pressing.<br />
Making a lot of money is more important. Having<br />
fulfilling relationships is more important. Whatever. And the<br />
big issues in life—the fact that you’re headed for the sufferings<br />
and indignities that come with an aging, ill, or dying body—get<br />
pushed off, pushed out of the way. “Not yet, not yet, maybe<br />
some other time.” And of course when that other time does<br />
arrive and these things come barging in, they won’t accept<br />
your “not yet,” won’t be pushed out anymore. If you haven’t<br />
prepared yourself for them, you’ll really be up the creek, at a<br />
total loss.<br />
So, these are the most important things you need to<br />
prepare for. A lot of other things in life are uncertain, but a<br />
couple of things are certain. Aging comes. Illness comes.<br />
Death is going to come for sure. So when you know something<br />
is going to come for sure, you have to prepare for it. And when<br />
you realize that this is the most important issue in life, you<br />
have to look at the way you live your life.<br />
Meditation—the practice of the Buddha’s teachings—<br />
is not just a question of sitting with your eyes closed every<br />
now and then. It’s about how you order your priorities. As the<br />
Buddha said, when you see there’s a greater level of happiness<br />
that can be found by sacrificing lesser forms of happiness, you<br />
sacrifice the lesser ones. Look at your life and the things you<br />
hold onto, the little places where the mind finds its pleasure<br />
but doesn’t gain any real fulfillment: Are those the things you<br />
really want to hold onto? Are you going to let them be the<br />
factors governing your life?<br />
And then you can think of larger issues. The chance for a<br />
happiness that goes beyond aging, illness, and death: Will that<br />
be the first priority in your life?<br />
These are questions we all have to ask within ourselves.<br />
The Buddha doesn’t force our answers. He simply sets out<br />
what the situation is. He says that there is a possibility for<br />
happiness lying beyond the happiness that comes from<br />
simply eating and sleeping, looking after the body and having<br />
a comfortable time. This possibility is the good news in the<br />
Buddha’s teachings, especially since most of the world says,<br />
“Well, this is all there is to life, so make the most of it. Satisfy<br />
yourself with these immediate pleasures and don’t think<br />
about other things. Don’t let yourself get dissatisfied with<br />
what you’ve got.” When you think about this attitude, it’s<br />
really depressing because all it means is that you grab at what<br />
you can before you die. And when you die, you can’t take it<br />
with you.<br />
But the Buddha said there’s a form of happiness, there’s<br />
a form of knowing in the mind that goes beyond aging, illness<br />
and death, and that can be attained through human effort<br />
if you’re skillful enough. So that’s both good news and a<br />
challenge. Are you going to let yourself just live an ordinary<br />
life frittering your time away? Or are you going to accept the<br />
challenge to devote yourself to more important things, devote<br />
yourself to this possibility?<br />
The Buddha was the sort of person who put his life on<br />
the line. He didn’t have anyone telling him that this was a<br />
possibility, but he thought that the only way life would have<br />
any dignity; any honor would be if you could find a happiness<br />
that doesn’t age, doesn’t grow ill, and doesn’t die. And he ran<br />
up against all the things he would have to sacrifice in order to<br />
find that happiness. So he made those sacrifices—not because<br />
he wanted to sacrifice those things, but because he had to. As<br />
a result he was able to find what he was looking for. So the<br />
story of his life and his teachings are meant as a challenge for<br />
us—how are we going to lead our lives?<br />
Here we are sitting together meditating. What are you<br />
going to do with a still mind, once it’s become still? If you<br />
wanted to, you could simply use concentration practice as a<br />
method of relaxation or a way of calming the nerves. However,<br />
the Buddha says that there’s more to it than that. When the<br />
mind is really still, you can dig deep down into the mind and<br />
begin to see all the currents that lie underground within it.<br />
You can start sorting them out, understanding what drives the<br />
mind. Where is the greed? Where is the anger? Where are the<br />
delusions that keep you spinning around? How can you cut<br />
through them?<br />
These are the questions; these are the issues that can be<br />
tackled in the meditation—as long as you have a sense of their<br />
importance, that they’re your real priorities. If you don’t have<br />
that sense, you don’t want to touch them because they’re big<br />
issues and they snarl at you when you get near.<br />
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International<br />
“Pindapata” programme<br />
at Sam Poh Thong<br />
Buddhist Temple<br />
Malaysia….<br />
The 03rd International “Pindapata” program was<br />
held at Sam Poh Thong Temple Premises, Kg Baru Ampang,<br />
Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on <strong>September</strong> 24, <strong>2017</strong>.<br />
Venerable Bhikkhu and Bhikkhuni Sangha of 23 of them from<br />
05 overseas countries that follow Theravada, Mahayana,<br />
Vajrayana & Tantrayana chapters of Buddhism participated as<br />
representatives in this grand Pindapata Program.<br />
Most Venerable Bhikkuni Sing Kan (How Yok Chu) -<br />
The Abbess of Sam Poh Thong Buddhist Temple and Temple<br />
committee organized this Pindapata Alms Gathering and<br />
Maha Sanghika Dana.<br />
All Venerable Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis from 08.00 a.m.<br />
walked down from the Sam Poh Thong Temple Premises and<br />
went on the road and to the Pekan Ampang Market & Sam<br />
Poh Vegetarian House with their alms bowls and began the<br />
Pindapata. A scene of calmness gratitude and sincerity were<br />
evident as devotees offered rice, curries and other things to the<br />
venerable Sangha of Bhikkus and Bhikkunis.<br />
Maha Sangha later recited the Theravada, Mahayana,<br />
Vajrayana & Tantrayana stanzas to bestow merits to all beings<br />
whilst devotees made the symbolic pouring of water to signify<br />
the filling up with Merits to all present at the auspicious<br />
ceremony.<br />
Most Venerable Bhikkuni Sing Kan (How Yok Chu) gave<br />
a special Dhamma Talk, and thanked all the devotees for the<br />
success of the event.<br />
It was a most valuable and a very meaningful occasion<br />
to see everyone coming together and to introspect into<br />
the dhamma through these practices. Since the time of the<br />
Buddha, lay people have been offering monks with food, robes,<br />
shelter and medicine. In return, monks provide guidance to the<br />
laity on Buddhist teachings, thus forging a close, respectful, and<br />
symbiotic relationship between the lay people and sangha and<br />
guide the lay people on the path to ultimate purification.<br />
Buddhika Sanjeewa<br />
After the visit to Malaysia<br />
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—wkqcdkdñ NslaLfõ jiaidfka jiaix Wm.ka;=x oafõud<br />
NslaLfõ jiaiqmkdhsld mqßñld mÉPsñld p wmrcacq.;dh<br />
wid
fokak fokak mska jefvkd<br />
odkfha uyd jákdlu''''<br />
f.!rjd¾y uykqjr wdkkao Ydka; kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia<br />
Ydka; hdg muKla fok odkh" NsCIqKS ix>hdg<br />
muKla fok odkh" WNf;d ix>hdf.ka fuÉpr fuÉpr<br />
m%udKhla fokakehs lshd ix>hdf.ka ;ud leue;s .Kkla<br />
b,a,df.k fokq ,nk odkh" idx>sl odkhla §u i`oyd<br />
ix>hd b,a,d hg;a msßfika Wmiïmod jQ fyda idufKar<br />
jQ fyda tla kulaj;a ,eî ta tlkug fok odkh" NsCIqKS<br />
ix>hdf.ka tla kula fyda ,nd f.k fok odkh jYfhka<br />
idx>sl odk y;la ;sfhkjd' fïjd uyd n,.;=hs'<br />
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Lumbini Development Trust was formed by the Lumbini<br />
Development Trust Act 2042 (1985) for the purposes of<br />
restoring the Lumbini Garden under the master plan. In the<br />
national level LDT was constituted in order to present before<br />
the people of the world and commitment of Government of<br />
Nepal to project goal and ideal of development of Lumbini.<br />
Lumbini is the traditional birthplace of Gautama<br />
Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, who was born in the 7th<br />
or 6th century BC. According to Buddhist tradition, Maya Devi<br />
(or Mayadevi) gave birth to the Buddha on her way to her<br />
parent's home in Devadaha in the month of May in the year<br />
623 BC. Feeling the onset of labor pains, she grabbed hold<br />
of the branches of a shade tree and gave birth to Siddharta<br />
Gautama, the future Buddha.<br />
The Buddha is said to have announced, "This is my final<br />
rebirth" as he entered the world. Buddhist tradition also has<br />
it that he walked immediately after his birth and took seven<br />
steps, under each of which a lotus flower bloomed. In 249 BC,<br />
the Buddhist convert Emperor Ashoka visited Lumbini and<br />
constructed four stupas and a stone pillar.<br />
Ashoka's Pillar bears an inscription that translates as:<br />
"King Piyadasi (Ashoka), beloved of devas, in the 20 year of<br />
the coronation, himself made a royal visit, Buddha Sakyamuni<br />
having been born here, a stone railing was built and a stone<br />
pillar erected to the Bhagavan ["blessed one"] having been<br />
born here. Lumbini village was taxed reduced and entitled to<br />
the eight parts (only)".<br />
LUMBINI - The Birthplace of the Buddha - The World<br />
Heritage Site, Rupandehi, in NEPAL<br />
“After I am no more, O Ananda! Men of belief will visit<br />
the place with faith, Curiosity and devotion…… Lumbini, the<br />
place where I was born. The path to ultimate peace is spiritual<br />
discipline” - The Buddha….<br />
Situated in the foothills of the Siwalik range in the district<br />
of Rupandehi, Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha is one<br />
of the most important pilgrimage sites. Buddhist literatures<br />
Lumbini Development Trust in Nepal<br />
Doing hard work to the Buddhism….<br />
Most Venerable Bhikkhu Tapassi Dhamma Thero<br />
The Vice President of the World Alliance of Buddhists (WAB), Executive Committee<br />
Member of All Nepal Bhikkhu Association, the President of Cultural Peace Walk<br />
committee, the Chief Abbot of Charumati Buddha Vihar & Founder and President of<br />
“Charumathi Buddhist Mission” Kathmandu, Nepal.<br />
mention that newly born Siddhartha took seven steps and<br />
uttered an epoch making message to the suffering humanity<br />
in the Lumbini Garden. The beautiful sal grove of Lumbini<br />
Garden was renowned for its beauty of shady grove of lush<br />
green trees and colorful flowers.<br />
Maya Devi, the queen of Sakya king Suddhodana of<br />
Kapilavastu, on the way to her maternal hometown Devadaha<br />
(ancient Koliya kingdom), was passing through the Lumbini<br />
Garden. It was the month of Vaisakha poornima (Full Moon<br />
Day of the first month of Nepali calendar) of 623 BC, while the<br />
queen was walking in the garden, took bath in the Puskarini.<br />
After bath, she proceeded to the north 25 paces, there she felt<br />
labor pain and supported herself grasping a branch of a tree<br />
and gave birth to the holy prince.<br />
The Buddha highlighted the importance of Lumbini from<br />
his deathbed: “Ananda, This (Lumbini) place is where the<br />
Tathagata was born, this is a place, which should be visited<br />
and seen by a person of devotion and which would cause<br />
awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence.<br />
At this place, Ananda, who are on a pilgrimage to (this) shrine,<br />
if they should die with devotion in their heart during the course<br />
of the pilgrimage, will after (their) death and dissolution of<br />
the body be reborn in a good destination, a fortunate celestial<br />
realm” (Mahaparinirvana Sutta).<br />
Today devotees and visitors from all over the world come<br />
to Lumbini, the timeless place where ancient monuments<br />
glorify the birthplace of Sakyamuni Buddha and bear witness<br />
to the record of the noteworthy visits by famous dignitaries.<br />
The pilgrims deeply immerse themselves in the serene<br />
spiritual atmosphere of Lumbini.<br />
The famous Maurya Emperor Asoka guided by his<br />
spiritual teacher Upagupta made a pilgrimage to this holy<br />
site in 249 BC. He erected a stone pillar bearing an inscription<br />
stating clearly ‘Hida Buddhe Jate Sakyamuniti’ (here Sakyamuni<br />
Buddha was born). He laid importance to the marker stone and<br />
constructed few other structures to mark the exact birthplace<br />
of the Buddha. He worshiped the nativity tree and the marker<br />
stone. He also visited other historical sites associated with the<br />
Buddha in Kapilavastu, Ramagrama and Devadaha.<br />
The Lumbini Garden changed into a pilgrimage site soon<br />
after the Mahaparinirvana of the Lord Buddha. A monastic<br />
site evolved around the sacred spot of the Buddha’s birth.<br />
The birth-spot being the most important point in the whole<br />
of the holy land of Lumbini drew attention of generous<br />
devotees who erected structures to pay homage to the great<br />
master. These constructions were of religious nature along the<br />
religious complex and a civic settlement emerged to meet the<br />
growing need of the religious community visiting or living in<br />
the holy complex.<br />
The Maya Devi Temple shrine is the heart of all<br />
monuments at this holy site. The complex also bears the<br />
testimony of several layers of construction over the centuries.<br />
The main object of worship here is the Nativity Sculpture. The<br />
restored Maya Devi Temple was reopened on May 16, 2003<br />
on 2547th birth anniversary of the Buddha. The government<br />
of Nepal, and LDT jointly restored the temple.<br />
The Marker Stone conglomerate located deeply buried<br />
in the sanctum sanctorum pinpoints the exact birth spot of the<br />
Buddha, which was discovered after a meticulous excavation<br />
of the old Maya Devi Temple in 1996. The Marker Stone was<br />
found in the same distance and direction as mentioned by<br />
Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveler in his travel account. The<br />
size of the marker stone is 70cm x 40cm x 10cm.<br />
The Monastic Zone is situated in the middle with a<br />
forest area between the Sacred Garden and the New Lumbini<br />
Village. The zone is divided into two Monastic enclaves by a<br />
Centre Canal. There are 13 plots of land in the East Monastic<br />
Zone and 29 in the West Monastic Enclave, having 42 plots in<br />
total each allotted for the construction of new monasteries of<br />
Theravada and Mahayana schools of Buddhism.<br />
I think we have lot of most valuable Buddhist heritage<br />
sites in Nepal. Therefore, day by day we want protect those<br />
are & we must do popular worldwide. By the way, all Buddhists<br />
& Hindus may be unity & develop the all things together. If we<br />
can do that path we can take the brighter future in soon for<br />
all Nepalese.<br />
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iir ne`o ;nkd<br />
wl=i, O¾uhka''''<br />
f.!rjd¾y yqka lïrd ldYHm kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia<br />
ldïfndacshdfõ mafkdï fmkaya úmiaikdOQr fn!oaO uOHia:dkjdiS" lvqfj, cd;Hka;r<br />
fn!oaO uOHia:dkfha úOdhl wOHCI<br />
iqmskaj;aks" —ÿlafÄ f,daflda m;sÜÀf;da˜ lsh,<br />
nqÿrcdKka jykafia jodrKjd fï f,dafl ÿflys we,S .e,S<br />
;sfhk fohla' wmsg i;=gla ,efnk nj we;a;' ta ish,a, u<br />
wjidkfha § fl
Buddhism spread south to Vietnam,<br />
northeast to Korea and east to Japan.<br />
Most Venerable Master Chun<br />
Ying, the Vice Chairman of the<br />
Buddhist Association of China and<br />
Chairman of the Buddhist Association<br />
of Jiangxi Province in China, Most<br />
Venerable Master Yang Li, the Chief<br />
Abbot of Cao Shan Bao Ji Historically<br />
Buddhist Temple in Yihuang, China,<br />
Mr. Yang Zengwen, the Director of the<br />
Research Office of Buddhism - The<br />
World Religions of Chinese Academy<br />
also participated this merit event.<br />
Buddhika Sanjeewa<br />
After the visit to China<br />
Sponsored by Srilankan Airlines<br />
International<br />
Symposium on Zen<br />
Buddhism & Master<br />
Ben Ji’s 1117 th<br />
Anniversary in China<br />
The “First China International Symposium on Zen<br />
Buddhism of Cao Dong Sect & Most Venerable Master Ben Ji’s<br />
1117th anniversary” held on July 09 - 13, <strong>2017</strong> at Cao Shan<br />
Bao Ji Buddhist Temple premises in Yihuang, China.<br />
More than 100 delegates from Japan, South Korea,<br />
Sri Lanka & China were participated for this grand occasion.<br />
The Jiangxi Religious Culture Exchange Association & Jiangxi<br />
Buddhist Association in China was organized this merit &<br />
meaningful Symposium.<br />
This is the historically place of explored the Zen Buddhism.<br />
Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated<br />
in China during the Tang dynasty as Chan Buddhism. Zen<br />
school was strongly influenced by Taoism and developed as a<br />
distinguished school of Chinese Buddhism. From China, Chan<br />
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ÿlanr iir l;frka tf;rj<br />
iekiSu ,nd .ekSu''''<br />
f.!rjd¾y nx.a,dfoaYfha mshr;k kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia<br />
nx.a,dfoaYfha wdßh nx.aId NsCIq ix> iNdfõ uydf,alï" nx.a,dfoaYfha ix>rdc<br />
uydix> iNdfõ ks;H iudcsl iy ysgmq NdKavd.dßl" Ñ;f.dx fn!oaO uOHia:dkdêm;s<br />
Y%oaOd nqoaê iïmkak .=K.rel jdikdjka; ldreKsl<br />
i;amqreI mskaj;aks" fï f,dalh .uka lrkafk tl me;a;lghs'<br />
rd.fhka fj
An Epoch - Making Religious Prelate<br />
Supreme Mahanayake of the Sri Lanka<br />
Amarapura Mahanikaye<br />
Most Venerable<br />
Aggamaha<br />
Pandita Kotugoeda<br />
Dhammavasa Maha<br />
Nayaka Thero<br />
Sri Lanka has been, from the time of inception of<br />
Buddhism, a very fortunate country. One reason for this<br />
is that from time to time there appeared ‘epoch making<br />
religions leaders’ who succeeded instilling hope in the minds<br />
of Buddhists, and have been also able to inspire and direct<br />
the devotees to follow the right path.<br />
In Most Venerable Aggamaha Pandita Kotugoeda<br />
Dhammavasa Maha Nayaka Thero, the newly appointed the<br />
Supreme Maha Nayaka Thero of Sri Lanka Anarapura Maha<br />
Nikaya we see such a great religions dignitary who, with his<br />
impeccable and most exemplary conduct epitomizes in feed<br />
the ideal of ‘the .fruit of monkhood’. This great religious<br />
personality hails from a comparatively less known suburb of<br />
the Gmpaha District, namely Kotugoda which has now shot<br />
into fame because of the fame of this Maha Nayaka.<br />
Early bio-data<br />
The family of Mr. and Mrs. Endavitharanage Haramanis<br />
Rodrigo and Selestina Rodrigo happened to be pious wellto-do,<br />
respected family with six siblings, consisting of four<br />
sons and two daughters. A new male sibling joined this<br />
family in 1933, January 21st, bringing much joy to this family.<br />
The elated parents named this youngest of their siblings,<br />
Endavitharanage Sirimevan Rodrigo. Being the youngest, he<br />
was the darling and the pet of all others. In spite of being<br />
over-petted, this youngest son, Sirimevan, turned<br />
out to be an extremely obedient child, showing<br />
lot of restraint and maturity, not normally<br />
seen in children of similar age.<br />
Contact with Village Temples<br />
and Primary Education Novicehood<br />
The parents, being ardent<br />
devoted Buddhists, had close<br />
contact with the village temple.<br />
Hence, child Sirimevan<br />
received his first initiation<br />
to learning from the chief<br />
incumbent of the village<br />
temple, namely, Ven.<br />
Kotugoda Pemananda<br />
Nayaka Thero. His formal<br />
primary education<br />
commenced with<br />
his admission to the<br />
Buddhist Mixed School<br />
in Kotugoda, which was<br />
run by the Buddhist<br />
Theosophical Society.<br />
This school is now well-known as Kotugoda Rahula<br />
Maha Vidyalaya. This marked a very crucial period in his life as<br />
it was in 1948 August 17 that the teenage Sirimevan obtained<br />
admission to the sanghe community as a novice. This was as a<br />
consequence of the close friendship between Ven. Kotugoda<br />
Wimalaratana Thero and Ven. Unavatune Dhammapala Thero,<br />
the chief incumbent of the Sri Dharmapalamaya, Mt. Lavinia.<br />
Obtaining discipleship under Ven. Unavatune Dhammapala<br />
Thero, the new novice came to be called Kotugoda<br />
Dhammavasa and came to reside at Sri Dhamrapalaramaya,<br />
Mt. Lavinia.<br />
Secondary Education:<br />
While staying in this Viharaya he continued his religious<br />
studies at the Paramadhamma Cetiya Pirivena, which he<br />
entered in 1952 Ratmalana. From thence, he joined the<br />
Vidyodaya Pirivena, Maligakanda, where he continued his<br />
studies in Tripitaka and such oriental languages as Pali and<br />
Sanskrit.<br />
This gave him the opportunity of meeting and receiving<br />
instruction from most erudite scholar monks of the time such<br />
as Most Ven. Kalukondayawe Pannasekara Nayaka Thero,<br />
Most Ven. Welivitiye Sorata Nayaka Thero, Most Ven. Walane<br />
Satthissara Nayaka Thero, Most Ven. Parawahera Vajiranana<br />
Nayaka Thero and many others. His association with Vijirarama<br />
temple and his great admiration for Most Ven. Narada Maha<br />
Thero and Ven. Piyadassi Thero made him get in infarcted in<br />
Buddhist Missionary activities.<br />
Young Ven. Kotugoda Dhammavasa’s higher ordination<br />
took place in 1954, July 10th. On this occasion Most Ven.<br />
Beruwala Sri Sumangala Siriniwasa Maha Nayaka Thero<br />
functioned as the ‘Upajjhaya’, Most Ven. Ambalangoda<br />
Dhammakusala Maha Nayaka Thero, Most Ven. Moratuwe<br />
Sasanaratana Anunayaka Thero and Most Ven. Moratuwe<br />
Pemaratana Thero served as the ‘Karmacarya’.<br />
Scholarly Contribution:<br />
With the obtainment of higher ordination there took<br />
place a marked change in Ven. Kotugoda Dhammavasa Thero’s<br />
life. He became more scholarly bent. He started writing<br />
articles on relevant Buddhist subjects. These contributions<br />
that he did started around 1960s, made possible for him to<br />
publish much readable articles in Sinhala language and these<br />
were widely read and appreciated by the pious devotees. With<br />
the establishment of the Bauddhodaya Association at the<br />
Dhammapalaramaya temple in Dehiwala, he began publishing<br />
annually, a Vesak journal which he got distributed free among<br />
the devotees.<br />
He published a fair number of booklets for the purpose<br />
of developing faith in the ordinary followers. Among these are:<br />
‘Nivanata Maga’, ‘Ketumati Rajadhāniya’, ‘Kosala Raja Sihina’,<br />
‘Dhammo Have Rakkhati Dhammacari’ etc. His writing greatly<br />
appealed to the bears of the people because of the serene<br />
style in which he presented them, using lucid language, and<br />
citing events and insights drawn from the Tripitaka, the Jātaka<br />
book etc. Besides, he often contributed very readable and<br />
inspiring articles is to Sinhala language to the popular Sinhala<br />
News Papers and these were eagerly read by the public.<br />
Missionary Activities<br />
The great impact Ven Narada Nayaka Thero had on him<br />
made him earnestly commit himself to missionary activities.<br />
Being much influenced, by reputed missionary monks from<br />
Sri Lanka such as Most Ven. Narade Maha Thero and Ven.<br />
Piyadassi Maha Thero, our hero also followed in their<br />
footsteps. He toured in a number of foreign countries : India,<br />
Nepal, China, Japan, Germany, America, Pakistan, Thailand,<br />
Myanmar and so on, preaching and teaching the Dharma,<br />
spreading Buddhism and filling the hearts and minds of the<br />
listeners with serene joy. Besides, he even took recovery<br />
steps to establish temples in Myanmar, Nepal, thus further<br />
bolstering his missionary work.<br />
Much Sought after Preacher:<br />
Most Ven. Kotugoda Dhammavasa Maha Nayaka Thero is<br />
admired and appreciated by the Local Buddhists as one of the<br />
most appealing preachers in the country. He had this potential<br />
from his younger days, and this he cultured taking it into great<br />
benefits, making him a much sought after preacher. For this he<br />
used his expertise Dhamma knowledge and blended it finally<br />
with his well trained and restrained discipline. He could keep<br />
the audience spell-bound with his soft, lucid and ear-pleasing<br />
intoning of his speech.<br />
He was able to communicate most suitable doctrinal<br />
points in a very simple way. Hence his diary was ever-filled<br />
with invitations to visit temples, scattered all over the island<br />
to preach the doctrine. The listeners not only appreciated his<br />
preaching, but generously made donation even to establish<br />
temples. The temple is named 'Upali Dharmasramaya’ in<br />
Kataragama. It is this preaching ability of him that made<br />
him win- over many, and with their generosity, develop the<br />
Sri Dhamrmapalaramaya what it is at present. He used the<br />
electronic media too for proper preaching.<br />
Tireless Service to Foster the Sāsana :<br />
With maturity in life, especially after his attainment<br />
of higher ordination, he began to demonstrate his growing<br />
dedication to work for the upliftment of the Sāsana. Tirelessly<br />
he went to every nook and corner of the island preaching and<br />
teaching. His sole life he dedicated to serve the Sāsana and<br />
foster the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya.<br />
As far as 1980s the President of Most. Ven. Kosgoda<br />
Dhammavansa Maha Nayaka Thero who noticed the<br />
commitment of Ven. Kotugoda Dhammavasa Nayaka Thero,<br />
proposed to him to accept this co-secretary-ship of the sangha<br />
council. This he humbly accepted, and discharged all duties<br />
expected of him to the fast of this ability. In appreciation of<br />
blameless such services his position was elevated to that of<br />
Secretary General and served in this capacity for Years.<br />
From this position he succeeded to the position of<br />
president of the sangha council. After a stint of years of<br />
service in this position he was made the 'Mahopādhyāya'.<br />
Then, when the supreme Maha Nāyaka position fell vacant<br />
after passing away of Most Ven. Davuldena Nānissara, Most<br />
Venarable Aggamahapanditha Kotugoda Dhammavasa Maha<br />
Nayaka Thero was unanimously appointed as the Supreme<br />
Maha Nāyaka of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikāya. This<br />
was in <strong>2017</strong> May, 26th.<br />
This long journey to success is evidenced by various<br />
honorific ecclesiastical titles awarded to him. Among these<br />
honorific titles are : Saddharmakirti Sri Tripitaka Visharada,<br />
Pravacana Kirti Sri Sāsana Shobhana, Sri Sumangala<br />
Vidyavatansaka, Aggamaha Pandita etc.<br />
Ven. Professor Medawachchiye Dhammajothi Thero<br />
Head - Department of Buddhist Studies and Director - Confucius<br />
Institute Faculty of Arts, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.<br />
(Pupil of Supreme Mahanayake)<br />
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Tn úiska ks¾udKh lr.kakd jQ<br />
Tfí u f,dalh''''<br />
f.!rjd¾y .d,af,a WÈ; kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia<br />
isx.mamQrefõ m%Odk ix>kdhl" isx.mamQrefõ fn!oaO uyd úydrdêm;s<br />
—wmamldf;a ukqiafiaiq f;a ckd mdr.dñfkda - w;dhx<br />
b;rd mcd ;SrfïjdOdkqj;s˜ - iqmskaj;aks" fï .d:dr;akfhka<br />
lshefjkafka" ukqiaihka w;r mrf;rg u hk flfkla<br />
bkakjd kï ta msßi b;du;a iq`M msßila fjk nj hs' fï<br />
ixidr id.frka tf;r fjkak hk wh fï fldaá ixLHd;<br />
ukqIHhka w;r fndfydu iq`M msßila ;uhs tfyu ukqiaihka<br />
w;r mrf;rg u hkafk' fï f,dal ck.ykfhka b;d u<br />
w;f,diaihs fï ixidr id.frka tf;r fjkak W;aiy<br />
lrkafk' ta fjkqfjka fhduq fjkafk fndfydu w,am m%udKhla<br />
ú;rhs'<br />
ta wh mskaj;aks" fï ixidr iuqÿfrka tf;rg hkak ksis<br />
foaj,a isoaO lrkafk kE' wms iq`M iq`M foaj,a lrkjd ke;af;<br />
u keye' kuq;a wms w;ßka fndfydau w,am fldgila ú;rhs ta<br />
fjkqfjka yßhdldrj u lghq;= bIag isoaO lrkafk' fufyu<br />
lshkafk uu fkfjhs' wm ;:d.; wuduEKS f,dõ;=re<br />
nqÿrcdKka jykafia ;uhs tfyu jodrkafk' Wkajykafia fï<br />
nj ish iïnqÿ kqjKska ±l jodf< óg wjqreÿ 2600 lg;a<br />
biair' to;a tfyukï wo jf.a fï kùk f,dafl fï ;;a;ajh<br />
fudk jf.a o lsh,d fï we;a;kag ys;d.kak mq`Mjkafka'<br />
;:d.;hdKka jykafia B
“Buddhism & Science”<br />
International Buddhist<br />
Conference in Singapore….<br />
“Buddhism & Science” International<br />
Buddhist Conference held at Buddha Vihar<br />
Premises in Telok Kurau, Singapore on August<br />
19, <strong>2017</strong>. This conference organized by Most<br />
Venerable Galle Uditha Thero, the Chief Sangha<br />
Nayaka of Singapore concurred on his 70th<br />
Happy Birthday. It was an ideal & remarkable<br />
Birthday ceremony. No any arrangements of<br />
Birthday Cake cuttings, No Birthday parties on<br />
his special Birthday. Most Venerable Dr.Galle<br />
Uditha Thero organized special Dhamma Talk &<br />
International panel discussion of Dhamma on<br />
his Birthday.<br />
The Maha Sangha presided by the<br />
Chief Prelate of the Ramannya Chapter in<br />
Sri Lanka, Most Venerable Napana Premasiri<br />
Maha Nayaka Thero & The Chief High Priest<br />
Judiciary of Malaysia and Chief Monk of Sri<br />
Lanka Buddhist Temple, Sentul, Malaysia, Most<br />
Venerable Bhutawatte Sri Saranankara Nayaka<br />
Maha Thera and more than 125 other Venerable Bhikkhu<br />
and Bhikkhuni Sangha from overseas countries that follow<br />
Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana & Tantrayana chapters<br />
of Buddhism are among those participated for this grand<br />
ceremony.<br />
After the Dhamma Talk offered maha Sanga Dana for 125<br />
Monks & Nuns by devotees. All are blessed to Most Venerable<br />
Dr.Galle Uditha Thero for his long life.<br />
The conference provided a platform to discuss various<br />
areas of the current context of the Buddhist world. The<br />
delegates identified the challenges faced by the Buddhist<br />
communities from around the world and internal factors and<br />
external factors such as political, economic and other religious<br />
concerns.<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” wish to the Most Venerable Dr.Galle<br />
Uditha Thero all the best of luck in his future endeavors.<br />
Sending you the blessings of Buddha, Dharma & Sangha with<br />
Metta for good health and long live !! “Suki Deegauko Bava”<br />
Buddhika Sanjeewa<br />
After the visit to Singapore<br />
Sponsored by Srilankan Airlines<br />
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l¾uh<br />
fï ;rï u n,j;a o@''''<br />
f.!rjd¾y uqj.u uqÈ; kdhl iajdókaøhdKka jykafia<br />
ol=Kq fldßhdfõ f;a.= kqjr mqkavßld fn!oaO úydrfha úydrdêm;s<br />
Y%oaOd nqoaê iïmkak .=K.rel jdikdjka; ldreKsl<br />
i;amqreI mskaj;aks" ueÿï i`.sfha pq,a, lïu úNx. iQ;%hg<br />
wh;a md,s mdGhl i`oyka fjkjd fukak fufyu fohla'<br />
—lïuiaild udkj i;a;d" lïu odhdod" lïufhdks"<br />
lïu nkaOq" lïumáirfKd" lïux i;af;" úNc;s hÈox<br />
ySkmamKS;;dh" hx lïux lßiaidñ l,HdKx jd mdmlx jd<br />
;iai odhdfod Núiaidñ˜<br />
udkjlh" i;a;ajfhda l¾uh iajlSh fldg we;af;da h'<br />
l¾uh odhdo fldg we;af;da h' l¾uh Wmam;a;sia:dkh fldg<br />
we;af;da h' l¾uh {d;s fldg we;af;da h' l¾uh ms
During rebirth, life arises in a new body. Though it sits<br />
in its mother’s womb, a fetus’s dispositions, appearance and<br />
health are not given by its mother. These qualities and traits<br />
are determined by the most powerful memories from its<br />
previous lives. A being who has generally made others happy<br />
and given them pleasure will be become a well formed child.<br />
They will be born loveable, with a beautiful appearance<br />
and have good affinities with others. If a being has often<br />
provoked the anger of others and brought people unease and<br />
suffering they will have poor affinity with others and hideous<br />
appearance.<br />
Aside from determining the qualities of a person’s body,<br />
appearance, health and wealth, memories from previous lives<br />
also affect the habits we have in this life. As new lives develop,<br />
so too do old habits. Memories from previous lives play the<br />
most powerful role in determining what sort of job a person<br />
will like after they grow up, what sort of people they will like<br />
associating with and other such matters.<br />
In this way, our consciousness can be said to be have<br />
been built up from the results of our acts, speech and<br />
thoughts over the course of many lifetimes. They will continue<br />
to collect, leading us to our future lives and so on forever. This<br />
is a powerful force which drives the mind.<br />
Whatever our preferences are body, speech and mind<br />
all are conditioned by the strongest habits from previous lives.<br />
Even the slightest or subtlest of previous actions don’t simply<br />
vanish. Energy cannot be destroyed. They are simply stored in<br />
our memories lifetime after lifetime.<br />
The many habits imprinted on the alaya consciousness<br />
can appear as stray thoughts when we attempt to settle the<br />
mind. Just as trees in a forest compete for sunlight, growing as<br />
tall as possible to outdo each other, our illusory thoughts are<br />
the same. These thoughts appear rapidly one after another.<br />
From this, we can understand how thoughts produced by<br />
our bodies, speech and minds enter our alaya consciousness<br />
manifest behaviors and then become the “energy” of memory.<br />
If we wish to follow Buddhism in our everyday life,<br />
Rebirth of Consciousness.…<br />
Most Venerable Master Hsin Ting Thero<br />
The sixth-term abbot and Former Director of Fo Guang Shan Temple in Taiwan<br />
President of Buddha's Light International Association<br />
we must cultivate morality, meditative concentration and<br />
wisdom. To respect others and not harm them we must<br />
cultivate morality. To prevent unwholesome thoughts from<br />
becoming unwholesome actions, we must cultivate meditative<br />
concentration.<br />
To see the truth of the world and let go of illusory<br />
thoughts we must cultivate wisdom. Only by cultivating in<br />
all three areas can we benefit both ourselves and others and<br />
balance both wisdom and merit.<br />
The cultivation of morality, meditative concentration and<br />
wisdom is essential to humanistic Buddhism. In addition, we<br />
should fulfill the perfections of diligence, patience and giving<br />
by trying our best to give sentient beings material goods,<br />
giving them fearlessness and giving them Buddhist teachings.<br />
Why do we sit in meditation? Why do you go on<br />
meditation retreats? We do these things so that we can focus<br />
the mind and deepen our practice. We develop meditation to<br />
brighten the mind and see our true nature.<br />
We all rely on our six sense organs the eyes, ears,<br />
nose, tongue, body and mind. We use them to perceive and<br />
distinguish the six sense objects of forms, sounds, smells,<br />
tastes, touch and dharmas. It is through our senses that we<br />
become attached to carving for pleasant states and develop<br />
aversion and disgust for unpleasant states.<br />
We become led by our cravings and aversion to the<br />
various states generated by sights, sounds, smells, tastes,<br />
touch and dharmas. We ceaselessly discriminate, attach and<br />
give rise to various aversions. Our minds lose the ability to<br />
settle down.<br />
Within the mind we all have habits. When the six<br />
sense organs come into contact with the six sense objects<br />
they give rise to six sense consciousness’s. At the time that<br />
this consciousness’s is formed our habits react with these<br />
sense objects to give rise to various mental phenomena<br />
such as desire, anger, agitation, sloth, doubt and remorse.<br />
These negative thoughts become obstacles to our spiritual<br />
cultivation and meditation.<br />
In a meditation hall the six senses are easy to watch<br />
over and protect for there are very few stimuli compared to<br />
the secular world. There are five hindrances, five desires and<br />
other afflictions that impede meditation that we must learn<br />
to let go of. Only by turning away from the hindrances can we<br />
cultivate meditative concentration, brighten the mind and see<br />
our nature.<br />
There are many methods skillful means, techniques and<br />
theories to help develop our meditation. During a meditation<br />
retreat, the monastic leading the retreat will provide the<br />
participants with spiritual guidance. The chance to enter a<br />
meditation hall is a rare opportunity, so we should approach it<br />
joyfully and with gratitude.<br />
There is no need to be anxious or feel driven to attain<br />
some level of realization. Meditation practice comes one step<br />
at a time. Those who practice meditation should put their<br />
worries aside and their minds & bodies at ease. In this way<br />
we can better focus our attention and skillfully respond to the<br />
environment.<br />
When participating in a meditation retreat, one should<br />
keep the following verse in mind. “The five hindrances and the<br />
five desires. Turn away from them completely. One can then<br />
brighten the mind. See one’s nature and give rise to joy”<br />
We all have many habits. They affect the way we act,<br />
the way we speak and even the way we think' An ordinary<br />
person cannot help but fulfill their habits for they have not yet<br />
attained control over them. This is not to say that nothing can<br />
be done about false, illusory thinking. There are ways that we<br />
can gradually reduce illusory thinking so that in the end we<br />
can put a stop to it entirely.<br />
The mind is full of thoughts all the time so much so that<br />
it is hard to know exactly when it became so cluttered. The<br />
Buddha called this state “Ignorance” At first, we are all like<br />
this.<br />
Consider the sky as an example it does not matter if the<br />
sky is covered by white clouds or dark clouds the space exists<br />
just as it is. In fact, the Buddha said the same of all the four<br />
great elements earth, water, fire and wind each have always<br />
existed just as are.<br />
Just like we don’t know when the white and dark clouds<br />
in the sky first took shape, we do not know when our thoughts<br />
and beliefs were first formed. Once illusory thoughts are<br />
present we mistake what is false to be true and such thoughts<br />
manifest as unwholesome actions in body, speech and mind.<br />
We become attached to our incorrect views. These<br />
attachments to our viewpoints can lead to habits in our body,<br />
speech and thoughts. These acts build upon each other,<br />
furthering our deluded thinking and meaningless behaviors,<br />
life after life, leaving marks upon our alaya consciousness.<br />
Whether we act in a way that is wholesome or<br />
unwholesome pleasant or painful, everything we do becomes<br />
part of our memories. For example, when we speak whether<br />
we speak wholesome words or unwholesome words, pleasant<br />
or painful all that we say becomes a part of our memories.<br />
This is natural. For each thought that we have whether pure or<br />
impure this too becomes part of our memories.<br />
When a particular action is occurring, be it body, speech<br />
or mind it is manifest it’s happening right now. After the action<br />
ceases it becomes a sort of energy, the same way that boiling<br />
liquid water becomes vapor. Past actions may no longer be<br />
visible, but they still exist.<br />
Whatever actions we manifest eventually cease and<br />
change from to be memories. As our many actions permeate<br />
the alaya consciousness, they from our habits and tendencies.<br />
Our habits too are a kind of energy that provides momentum<br />
for our actions.<br />
If we were to use modern language to describe the alaya<br />
consciousness, we would call it “memory”. Whatever is most<br />
pervasive in our memories will manifest the most often, such<br />
as in our dreams.<br />
In Buddhism, the conscious experience is divided and<br />
analyzed into several different parts so that the function of<br />
each can be better understood. The consciousnessesonly<br />
school of Buddhism traditionally divides consciousnesses into<br />
eight different types of consciousnesses. Those are…<br />
01 - Eye consciousness. 02 - Ear consciousness. 03<br />
- Nose consciousness. 04 - Tongue consciousness. 05 -<br />
Body consciousness. 06 - Mind consciousness. 07 - Manas<br />
consciousness. 08 - Alaya consciousness.<br />
The first five consciousnesses arise when sense organs<br />
make contact with sense objects, creating our knowledge of<br />
the phenomenal world. The mind consciousness distinguishes<br />
and perceives the information arising from the sense<br />
consciousness.<br />
The seventh or manas consciousness is the part of our<br />
mental faculty that clings to the concept of an independent<br />
separate self and influences our decision making to serve and<br />
protect the self. The eighth or alaya consciousness functions<br />
as a “storehouse” containing all of the latent karma of our<br />
many, many past lives.<br />
Our memories help drive our decisions. If there is a<br />
person who constantly surfaces in your memory, you are likely<br />
to seek that person out. If you constantly think of an act, you<br />
will often commit the act. The same is true for everything we<br />
think about from the foods we like to eat to the clothes we like<br />
to wear. This is how powerful the influence of memory can be.<br />
Now we can see how our way of thinking is produced<br />
by our behavior. Every time we act, we strengthen that act in<br />
our alaya consciousness. Lives after life, from the distant past<br />
until now, thoughts are added to this consciousness. Many of<br />
our present actions derive from the thoughts present in our<br />
consciousness.<br />
When we make contact with the sense objects, we<br />
search our alaya consciousness for memories. If we find<br />
memories of sense objects that are similar or identical to what<br />
we are presently encountering we become very pleased.<br />
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“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>”<br />
Offered to the Mahayana tradition Most Venerable<br />
Bhikkhu Bhikkhunis in Malaysia….<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” highly believes our Dhamma<br />
effort is very useful for devotees all around the world.<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” has been published in English, which<br />
includes 52 pages of articles related to Buddhism. Since its<br />
establishment in December 01, 2014, the Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
has been successfully distributed to 40 countries up to date<br />
including all districts across Sri Lanka.<br />
Most Popular & leading Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> in Sri Lanka,<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” Monthly Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> was recently<br />
presented to the Mahayana tradition Most Venerable Bhikkhu<br />
Bhikkhunis in Malaysia by the Founder, President & Chief<br />
Editor of <strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>, Mr. Buddhika Sanjeewa, at Kuala<br />
Lumpur, Malaysia on <strong>September</strong> 23 - 27, <strong>2017</strong>. This is the first<br />
time that a Sri Lankan Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> was presented to<br />
the Mahayana tradition Most Venerable Bhikkhu Bhikkhunis<br />
in Malaysia.<br />
The photographs shows, “<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” presented<br />
to the Most Venerable Bhikkhuni Sing Kan (How Yok Chu) -<br />
The Abbess of Sam Poh Thong Buddhist Temple in Kg Baru<br />
Ampang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the Abbess<br />
of Poh Lum Fatt Yuen Buddhist Temple in Petaling Jaya,<br />
Malaysia. Mr. Wijaya Wagaarachchi, the Creative Director of<br />
<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong> also participated the occasion.<br />
The “<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” monthly Buddhist magazine was<br />
introduced to the Sri Lankan magazine field two years ago.<br />
Since then we have explored opportunities to expand our<br />
identity and grow worldwide.<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” is a registered in the Sri<br />
Lankan Government with International Standards. Our<br />
“<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” monthly Buddhist magazine is the leader<br />
of the <strong>Magazine</strong> field in Sri Lanka under the blessing &<br />
appreciation by all Chief Prelate of the Chapters in Sri Lanka.<br />
We have good recognition and are highly appreciated by<br />
temples in Sri Lanka and Worldwide.<br />
The <strong>Magazine</strong> distribution in Sri Lanka on every month, all<br />
Chief Prelate of the Chapters in Sri Lanka including Malwathu,<br />
Asgiri, Amarapura & Ramannya. And we also discussed and<br />
write articles of Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana & Tantrayana<br />
all chapters of Buddhism.<br />
In every month we distribute selected main Buddhist<br />
Temples, School Libraries, Universities, Selected Sri Lankan<br />
Government offices and private sector’s offices covered all<br />
districts in Sri Lanka. We also distribute worldwide to all of the<br />
overseas Sri Lankan High Commissions & Embassies via PDF<br />
version of our <strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong> Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> by Email.<br />
We send our <strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong> Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> by more<br />
than 15,000 Emails bulk to registered expatriates in Sri Lankan<br />
expatriates forum, worldwide.<br />
As a creative and ideal Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong>, our main<br />
target is to teach good habits & qualities to the young<br />
generation who live in Sri Lanka and all over the world through<br />
Buddhism.<br />
More information about the magazine and all published<br />
articles can be accessed on the website - www.mettavalokanaya.<br />
com, as well as on socials media- <strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong> Facebook<br />
page, Youtube, Google +, Twitter, Blogger, Instagram, Linkedin,<br />
Yumpu, Flickr, Pinterest, Tumblr and Wikipedia.<br />
<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong> highly believes our Dhamma effort<br />
is very useful for devotees all around the world. We desire<br />
to publish more publications as a Buddhist Centre in the<br />
near future. We have promised to our nation and Buddhists<br />
worldwide that we will ensure glorious years of service to<br />
the Buddha-Sāsana in future within our capability.<br />
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Buddhika Sanjeewa, as the Founder, President & Chief Editor of Mettavalokana Buddhist Publications Centre, I printed and published this “<strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong>” Buddhist <strong>Magazine</strong> as a<br />
publication of Mettavalokana Buddhist Publications Centre on <strong>September</strong> 29, <strong>2017</strong> at M. D. Gunasena & Co (Pvt) Ltd, No.20, San Sebastian Hill, Colombo 12, Sri Lanka.<br />
52 I <strong>Mettavalokanaya</strong> I <strong>September</strong> I <strong>2017</strong> Registered I www.meththawalokanaya.com at Department of Post I in Sri Lanka - QD/181/News/2016