When the birds stop singing When the butterflies and the bees disappear When the mountains and forests became barren When the lakes and ponds dry up When the dead fish float about When the air blackens the lungs you will see you are sitting in a hell despite you are sitting next to piles of dollars in a golden palace or a jewel castle Hence I ask you to give some dollars to help clean the earth When the birds stop singing When the husband and wife bicker at each other with abusive words, not sweet words. When the friends start seeing at one another through the political eyes, not with brotherly kindness and when the people gather and have to guard against other political views the world becomes a battleground. When you defend Trump you would lose your job and be called a racist. When you support Clinton and Obama You would be called a traitor or a leftist. Oh, the political division of people is so weird and terrible. When the birds stop singing people begin to compete to win the power that will give them happiness and lots and lots of money. When the birds stop singing then the kids hate to run after dragonflies and butterflies Instead, they will addict to play the games whose scenes are full of innocent killings where they could wear suicide-bomb vests. When the birds stop singing and the deer have no water to drink the small creek turns sad its life is going to end. When the birds stop singing the world still has only the Rock music, Football and Sex. With skimpy clothing and sexy bodies the girls are worshipped as the ancient “holy ladies.” Millions of people are hungry for their images. That is the religion in the electronic age, a kind of religion that makes lots of money. Becoming unneeded goods morality and spirituality will be exhibited only in museums. When the birds stop singing the software will be the smart brains and humans will be lifeless corpses - just like the machines that will move when the buttons are pressed. When the birds stop singing all weapons have to be invisible and the robots will replaces the pilots - thus, nobody would see the dropping bombs Then you and I will die just like dying in a dream, very abruptly. When the birds stop singing the roses will wither soon the sunflowers won’t bother to cry the trucks will become the killing machine. When the birds stop singing people live for themselves, care not for others and become the machines - the machines that fulfill their sexual fantasies and kill enemies. When the birds stop singing you will want to be silent Beware that you will be called a hypocrite if you say moral words. When the birds stop singing prayers are useless After the praying sessions, people get drunk and will be more aggressive for the next killing action. When the birds stop singing half of the Mekong River will disappear many cities will dip in the ocean water - Jakarta, New Delhi, parts of Florida, and many others. Moving to a safe place the billionaires will buy mansions in Mars The poor have to live here, waiting for death. When the birds stop singing despite billions of humans pray intensely and even if the Savior comes here the Earth will be just a hell.
(Excerpt from ‘The Discourse of Happiness’ to be published soon.)
The story of the murder of a law ex-student named Raskolnikov is told in Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment”. After suppressing his crime for several days in tremendous agony and terrible suffering in his conscience, Raskolnikov resolved to confess his wrongdoing to his companion, Sonia. In his confession, Raskolnikov reveals some motives for his crime, but he does not explain exactly why the elderly woman ought to be murdered. The tale then presents a mystery, a crime, as a result of Raskolnikov’s predestination. The purpose of this article is to prove that the motive of Raskolnikov’s crime is not his destiny, but rooted in his mind.
The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth (Ājīvatthamaka Sīla) Dhamma Teachers Certificate
EN074 -__ Feb2010 5 8 Precepts Diacritials
Requirements and Ceremonies for the Five Precepts (Panca Sila),
The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth (Ajivatthamaka Sila),
Dhamma Teachers Certificate, issued by the Buddhist Group of Kendal
(Theravada) and Ketumati Buddhist Vihara at Wesak 2006).
Updated February 2010
Venerable Rewata Dhamma born in Myanmar [Burma], was head of the Birmingham Buddhist Vihara until his death in 2004. His book Maha Paritta: The Discourses of the Great Protection (With the Threefold Refuges, Precepts, Salutations to the Triple Gem, Dependent Origination and Metta Bhavana), gives the formula in Pali and English for requesting Ajivatthamaka Sila (The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth). (pages 9-12)
Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Mahanayaka Thera Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru Agga Maha Pandita (1896-1998)
Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, born in Sri Lanka, attended the Sixth Buddhist Council held in Myanmar [Burma] (1954-56). In 1956, during the third session of the Council, he served as Chairman of the Convocation for a few weeks. The Council was convened by the Myanmar [Burmese] government to prepare an authorized re-edit and reprint of the entire Tipitaka (the Pali Canon) and its commentaries. Venerable Ananda Maitreya was appointed the Sri
The BEP Buddhist Embroidery Project was started by attendees of the London Buddhist Vihara (Monastery) in 1994. The BEP decided to teach embroidery to people who had not learnt it in childhood. The late Venerable Apparakke Jinaratana, a Theravada Buddhist Bhikkhu (monk), who lived in a cave in Sri Lanka, near a very poor village, was using very old newspapers (supplied by villagers) as tablecloths. The BEP decided to embroider tablecloths, wall hangings and sitting cloths for his use. Although items are given to one monk, they actually belong to the whole of the Bhikkhu Sangha [Order of Buddhist Monks] according to the Vinaya (Buddhist Monastic Discipline). In Asian villages, washing is done in streams and waterfalls, and hung to dry in the hot sun, so items do not last as long as they do in the west.
Introducing Buddhism
by Venerable Dr Balangoda Ananda Maitreya
Mahanayaka Thera Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru Aggamaha Pandita DLitt DLitt (1896-1998)
and Jacquetta Gomes Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili.
Introducing Buddhism was originally published by The Buddhist Society London in 1988, to accompany The Buddhist Society’s Introducing Buddhism Course, on which Jacquetta Gomes was one of the teachers.
Introducing Buddhism has subsequently been published by Buddhist organisations in England, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the USA. Introducing Buddhism is available on several websites including Access to Insight, CBE Chinese Buddhist Encyclopedia and Google Books. Introducing Buddhism was launched by the BCC Buddhist Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka with 24 other books under the patronage of Venerable Dr K. Sri Dhammananda Chief Sangha Nayaka of Malaysia and Singapore, in December 1997.
Cuộc Đời Của Người Tăng Sĩ
Das Leben eines buddhistischen Mönches
Tác giả: HT Thích Bảo Lạc & HT Thích Như Điển
Chuyển ngữ: Nguyễn Ngọc Tuấn & Nguyễn Thị Thu Cúc
As a child, my mother Enid often said to me, “There is no such thing as a silly question,” and then would add, “unless.” This latter word was left hanging, and I eventually realised that it was up to me to learn the depth of its meaning.
At the same time that Enid was planting seeds for reflection, my first spiritual teacher, Ven. Lama Senge Tashi, encouraged me to cultivate more skilful thoughts, speech and actions. Sometimes I would try to verbally assert “I” or “Me,” and Lama would respond with, “Who is speaking?” or “Who is asking?”
During the Covid-19 pandemic a dharma sister passed from this life. Her name was Robyn. Although she did not call herself a Buddhist, nevertheless, Robyn had a special connection with the deity Medicine Buddha.
Over the six years that I worked with her, in my role as a hospital chaplain, Robyn frequently asked me to chant the mantra of Medicine Buddha and guide her through the visualisation. During her many stays in hospital, this particular practice brought comfort to her while she was experiencing chronic pain, anxiety and fear of the unknown. The medications she took would sometimes cloud her memory, so I would guide her through the details of the visualisation and begin chanting:
Once, as I was about to hold a summer Dharma class on a beach, as the first students began to arrive for the session I picked up two rocks and carefully placed them, one on top of the other, on to a much larger rock base. Observing what I had just done, three students approached: a young married couple and their five year old son.
Nguyện đem công đức này, trang nghiêm Phật Tịnh Độ, trên đền bốn ơn nặng, dưới cứu khổ ba đường, nếu có người thấy nghe, đều phát lòng Bồ Đề, hết một báo thân này, sinh qua cõi Cực Lạc.
May the Merit and virtue,accrued from this work, adorn the Buddhas pureland, Repay the four great kindnesses above, andrelieve the suffering of those on the three paths below, may those who see or hear of these efforts generates Bodhi Mind, spend their lives devoted to the Buddha Dharma, the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Quang Duc Buddhist Welfare Association of Victoria Tu Viện Quảng Đức | Quang Duc Monastery Senior Venerable Thich Tam Phuong | Senior Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang Address: Quang Duc Monastery, 105 Lynch Road, Fawkner, Vic.3060 Australia Tel: 61.03.9357 3544 ; Fax: 61.03.9357 3600 Website: http://www.quangduc.com ; http://www.tuvienquangduc.com.au (old) Xin gửi Xin gửi bài mới và ý kiến đóng góp đến Ban Biên Tập qua địa chỉ: quangduc@quangduc.com , tvquangduc@bigpond.com
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