Should Cambodia build more pagodas or should she build more research centers?

កម្ពុជា​ត្រូវ​សង់​វត្ត​បន្ថែម ឬ​មជ្ឈ​មណ្ឌល​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ​-មន្ទីរ​ពិសោធន៍?

Tuesday, 31 July 2012
ប៉ែន មីរ៉ាន់ដា
The Phnom Penh Post

វត្ត​អារាម ជា​ទី​សក្ការ​របស់​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​ប្រមាណ ៩០ % ដែល​កាន់​សាស​នា​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធ ដែល​ជា​សាសនា​របស់​រដ្ឋ។ យើង​កត់​សម្គាល់​ឃើញ​ថា ចំនួន​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ និង​វត្ត​អារាម កំពុង​តែ​កើន​ឡើង ហើយ​ការ​សាង​សង់ ត្រូវ​បាន​យក​ចិត្ត​ទុក​ដាក់ ដោយ​រាជ​រដ្ឋា​ភិបាល និង​សប្បុរស​ជន​នានា។

តែ​បើ​ក្រឡេក​មើល​ចំនួន និង​ទំនើប​កម្ម​មជ្ឈ​មណ្ឌល​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ និង​មន្ទីរ​ពិសោធន៍​វិញ មិន​មាន​ការ​កើន​ឡើង​គួរ​ឲ្យ​កត់​សម្គាល់​សោះឡើយ។

ឈរ​លើ​គោល​ការណ៍​អា​ស៊ាន​ដែល​នឹង​បង្កើត​សមា​គមសេដ្ឋ​កិច្ច​អាស៊ាន (ASEAN Economic Community, AEC) ត្រឹម​ឆ្នាំ ២០១៥ និង​គោល​ការណ៍​សកល​ភា​វូប​នីយ​កម្ម កម្ពុជា​នឹង​ប្រឈម​ការ​ប្រកួត​ប្រជែង​ផលិត​ផល​ទាំង​បរិមាណ​និង​គុណភាព​នៅ​លើ ទីផ្សារ​តំបន់ និង​ពិភព​លោក។ តើ​កម្ពុជា ត្រូវ​ត្រៀម​លក្ខណៈ​បែប​ណា​ខ្លះ ដើម្បី​កែប្រែ​ការ​ប្រឈម​ឲ្យ​ទៅ​ជា​ឱកាស ពាណិជ្ជ​កម្ម និង​សេដ្ឋកិច្ច? តើ​រដ្ឋាភិ​បាល ឬ​សប្បុរស​ជន ពាណិជ្ជ​ករ គួរ​ប្រើ​ថវិកា​ខ្លះ ដើម្បី​ការ​សាង​សង់​មជ្ឈ​មណ្ឌល​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ និងមន្ទីរ​ពិសោធន៍​វិទ្យា​សាស្ត្រ​ដែរ​ឬ​ទេ?

ជា​ដំបូង តួនា​ទី​វត្ត​អារាម​ពិត​ជា​សំខាន់​ណាស់ សម្រាប់​ពលរដ្ឋ​ខ្មែរ​ដូច​ជា ការ​ផ្តល់​ពុទ្ធ​ដីកា និង​ដំបូន្មាន របស់​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ ដល់​ពុទ្ធ​សាស​និក និង​ជា​កន្លែង​ផ្ដល់​ចំណេះ​ដឹង។ វត្ត​អារាម​ក៏​ជា​ទី​ស្នាក់​អា​ស្រ័យ របស់​និស្សិត​បុរស ដែល​មក​ពី​ទី​ជន​បទ​ដើម្បី​បន្ត​ការ​សិក្សា​ថ្នាក់​ឧត្តម​នៅ​ទី​ក្រុង។ អត្ថបទ​មួយ​របស់ Arnaldo Pellini (2004) ក៏​បាន​បង្ហាញ​ឧទាហរណ៍ របស់​សមាគម​វត្ត​អារាម​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ស្ទោង ខេត្ត​កំពង់​ធំ ដែល​ដើរ​តួនាទី​ជា​សមាគម ថវិកា និង​ស្រូវ​សម្រាប់​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ។ បើ​តាម​ស្ថិតិ​របស់​ក្រសួង​ធម្ម​ការ និង​សាស​នា ដែល​ដក​ស្រង់​ដោយសារ​ព័ត៌​មាន Xinhua គិត​មក​ត្រឹម​ខែ​មេសា​ឆ្នាំ​២០១០ មាន​វត្ត​អា​រាម​ចំនួន ៤៣៩២ និង​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ​ច្រើន​ជាង ៥ ម៉ឺន​អង្គ ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា។ បើ​យើង​គិត​ពី​សមាមាត្រ​ភាគ​រយ​ព្រះ​សង្ឃ និងប្រជា​ជន​សរុប ១៣,៣៩៥,៦៨២ (NIS, 2008) គឺ​ស្មើ ០.៤ %។

ម្យ៉ាង​វិញ​ទៀត ថវិកា ដែល​ត្រូវ​សាង​សង់​វិហារ និង​កុដិ ក្នុង​វត្ត នីមួយៗ​យ៉ាង​ហោច​ក៏​ត្រូវ​ចំណាយ​ពី ២០ ទៅ ៣០ ម៉ឺន​ដុល្លារ​អាមេរិក​ដែរ ហើយ​បើ​យើង​មាន​មហិច្ឆ​តា​ដើម្បី​ធ្វើ​ទំនើប​កម្ម​វត្ត​ទាំង​អស់​ដែល​មាន ស្រាប់ យ៉ាង​ហោច​ណាស់​ក៏​ត្រូវ​ការ​ថវិកា​ជិត​មួយ​កោដិ​ដុល្លារ​អាមេរិក​ដែរ។ ការ​សាង​សង់​ទៀត​សោត ពពាក់​ពពូន​គ្នា​នៅ​តែ​តំបន់​ជិតៗ ហើយ​តំបន់​ឆ្ងាយៗ ជា​ពិសេស​តំបន់​ព្រំដែន​ដែលត្រូវ​ការ​ប្រជា​ពលរដ្ឋ​រស់​នៅ​ឲ្យ​បាន​ច្រើន​ នោះ បែជាមិន​សូវ​ មាន​ទៅវិញ។

Koh Kong pagodas threatened [-Buddha will be evicted from Koh Kong soon]

People pray in front of a Buddha statue at the Kiri Kongkear pagoda, in Koh Kong province's Botum Sakor district. The pagoda, as well as the Prek Smach primary school, were ordered closed by local authorities to make way for a development being carried out by the Union Development group. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Monday, 02 July 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

The premier [Hun Xen] would be “destroying himself” if the order was not implemented, because villagers would lose confidence in him

Prak Thon says he will give up everything to stop a Chinese company from destroying his pagoda in Koh Kong province’s Kiri Sakor district.

“I’ll allow them to demolish my house, but I will not allow them to destroy the pagoda. I’m satisfied if I die, because it is my religion,” the villager said over the weekend.

The pagoda, which he said villagers built in Koh Sdech commune’s Prek Smach village in 1993, is threatened by a US$3.8 billion development by Union Development Co Ltd on two concessions that amount to more than 45,000 hectares in Botum Sakor and Kiri Sakor districts.

The departure of some 700 volunteer students on Friday, sent by Prime Minister Hun Sen to measure land across the country for villagers affected by land disputes, has not alleviated the fears of Thon and his neighbours that they will soon be evicted because of this project.

Thon is worried that despite a June 14 nationwide order by the prime minister for provincial governors to measure land for all villagers affected by economic land concessions, many will still be left without homes.

“I was happy when I heard the prime minister say that if it affected the site, the authorities had to cut land for the villagers,” he said.

In Lowell, Plans for a $10 Million Pagoda

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vWJrB3cdb4

In Lowell, Plans for a $10 Million Pagoda

Photo: by Pin Sisovann

Wednesday, 02 May 2012
Pin Sisovann, VOA Khmer | Massachusetts, Lowell

“Cambodian Buddhists see that what we are going to build will become a heritage for the younger generation, as well as a shelter for aged grandfathers and grandmothers.”

A campaign in Lowell hopes to raise $10 million for a new pagoda in the city.

Fundraising officially began over the Cambodian New Year last month for Wat Khmer in Lowell, which would also act as a cultural and community center, organizers say.

Maya Men, a member of the fundraising committee, which counts 12 monks among its 162 members, said the hope is to raise $10 million in three to five years.

In the past, different factions have vied for control of the old pagoda, but Men said she belied the new project will unite the community.

Monks face difficulties when their pagodas are flooded

With the pagodas flooded, monks cannot travel to beg for alms as they usually do (Photo: Nhem Sophal, RFI)

20 October 2011
By Nhem Sophal
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Soch

Click the control below to listen to the audio program

Click here to listen or download the audio program in MP3

Flooding started more than one month ago and monks along some pagodas – such as those in Vichitraram Pagoda in Kien Svay district, Kandal province – are facing difficulties when they have to leave their pagodas. With flood overtaking their housing, they can no longer travel out to beg for alms as they usually do. Furthermore, attendants to these pagodas also face difficulties in coming to the pagodas as well since their houses are flooded the same time the pagodas do.

Monk Sees US Pagoda as Central to Cambodian Community

Venerable Chan Horn, chief of monk at the Buddhikaram pagoda in Silver Spring, Maryland. (Photo: VOA Khmer)

Monday, 25 July 2011
Im Sothearith, VOA Khmer | Washington, D.C

“Very often in summer, many American students come to the Buddhikaram temple to learn about Buddhism and Khmer culture.”

Venerable Chan Horn, chief of monk at the Buddhikaram pagoda in Silver Spring, Maryland, told “Hello VOA” recently that he believes pagodas are still at the heart of Cambodian-American communities.

They not only provide a place of worship, he said, but they serve humanitarian causes for local and Cambodian communities. They also preserve some of Cambodia’s culture, he said.

The Buddhikaram temple is one of the largest Cambodian Buddhist temples in the US. It’s 33rd anniversary will be held in August. It was built in Silver Spring, Md., in 1986, to serve Cambodians who had fled to the East Coast of the US. Chan Horn has served as its head since 1997.

Philadelphia City Hall gives green light to Wat Khmer Palelai to construct a new Buddhist temple

Philadelphia City Hall gives green light to Wat Khmer Palelai to construct a new Buddhist temple

Monday August 23, B.E.2554, A.D.2010 Year of the Tiger

Everyone is invited.

• Venue: Wat Khmer Palelai, 2701 South 58th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143
• Date: September 10 - 12, B.E.2554, A.D.2010

Abbot Pannadipo Sam Sokhoeun, Committee President Houn Earng, Laypeople's leader Noun Mork.

Contact: 215.339.5830 or 267.242.2978

For complete program and schedule, please download:
Khmer or English

http://www.templenews.org

For seven years, monks have had no peace

Monks living at the Buddhist Support Society in Rochester had to replace their mailbox after vandals damaged it. They own a 10.5-acre site they bought for tranquil reflection. (Jim Gehrz, Star Tribune)
Monks Chhan Aun, left, and Sim Ouk (Jim Gehrz, Star Tribune)

Vandalism has plagued a Buddhist temple near Rochester for seven years. Neighbors and police are outraged and baffled.

May 29, 2010
By CURT BROWN
Star Tribune (Rochester, Minnesota)

VANDALISM MEETING

• What: Prompted by a string of vandalism at the Cambodian Buddhist temple in Rochester, monks, neighbors, city leaders, youth groups and members of police neighborhood watch program will gather to discuss the issue.
• When: 4 p.m., Thursday
• Where: Buddhist Support Society Address: 4462 29th St. SE, Rochester

A chorus of chirping crickets and the smashed shell of a mailbox greet Chhan Aun when he steps out the door of his monk's residence at the hilltop Buddhist temple southeast of Rochester.

"We are quiet and peaceful; we try to pray for good things, not bad," he said, wrapped in his orange robe, as a former monk translates his Cambodian words. "We don't understand why people are doing things like this."

This month's busted mailbox is the latest in a seven-year string of vandalism that has jarred the four monks who live on the grassy, rolling, 10.5-acre site they chose for tranquil reflection.

Someone sprayed-painted "Jesus Saves" and a cross on their driveway last May. Dozens of lights have been broken and stolen. Flowers and trees have been yanked from the earth. Instead of studying the teachings of Buddha, the monks have been installing motion-detecting lights and asking the Postal Service to approve moving their mailbox down from 29th Street and closer to their house.

"One night at 2 a.m., a group of four or five people were outside and I shined my flashlight in their face," said Aun, 63. "They never confront us face to face; they just run away."

Neighbors and police are outraged and baffled at what would motivate the vandals to harass such gentle men, some of whom, including Aun, lived through the Cambodian genocide of the late-1970s Khmer Rouge killing fields.

"They believe in peace and tranquility, and they sure don't deserve this," said Glenda Bale, who moved into the quiet residential area in 2003, just as the temple construction was completed and the monks moved in next door from their former downtown location.

Back then, her place was an overgrown "jungle," and as she worked to clear the lot, the monks would bring with food offerings. They invite Bale to all their celebrations.

Her friend's unlocked car was broken into once and papers were scattered. The monks say they've been struck three or four times a year since they arrived.

"For this stuff to only happen to them is totally uncalled for," said Bale, 47. "You couldn't ask for better neighbors, honestly."

Police cite six documented cases of criminal damage to property since last May, but the monks say the harassment dates to a group of aggressive opponents speaking out against the temple at city zoning meetings before the two temple structures were built. Opponents' concerns about increased traffic congestion have proven to be completely unfounded, Bale said.

"We have absolutely no idea as to why these people are doing this," said Sgt. Scott Behrns of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Department. "We're confident we'll catch the people doing it; it's just a matter of how long it takes."

Deputies have stepped up patrols in the neighborhood, and if arrests are made, Behrns said prosecutors will be asked to use state laws that target bias-motivated crimes. That could mean elevating misdemeanor charges into gross misdemeanors or felonies.

"Based on the way the crimes are occurring, one would think it's the same" person or people behind the vandalism, said Behrns, who thinks a baseball bat was used to destroy the mailbox earlier this month.

Community meeting slated

Rochester's Buddhist Support Society serves roughly 500 people, mostly Cambodian refugees who fled during the Vietnam War era and emigrated to Minnesota. The group owns the temple and recruits monks from Cambodia who make minimum five-year commitments to study, pray and teach at the hilltop temple.

Aun said that the destroyed mailbox, in itself, is not a big deal.

"But if they try to set fire to our buildings or hurt the monks, that would make us upset," he said.

He's speaking out despite some concerns that the vandals will relish the publicity.

"We want to show the community that we are doing something," he said. "It is 98 percent positive to get the word out and maybe two percent negative."

About 20 concerned citizens, mostly members of Rochester Meditation Center, met at the temple last Sunday, and a larger meeting is scheduled for June 3 at 4 p.m. Members of Rochester's Diversity Council, teenage youth groups, local church members and representatives of the police-sponsored Neighborhood Watch program will look for ways to enhance understanding about Buddhism and curb the vandalism.

Until then, Aun and his fellow monks will do what they came to Rochester to do. They will sit on pillows on the floor, surrounded by colorful paintings of Buddhist scenes, and recite prayers of loving kindness to the perpetrators of the vandalism.

"They know what they are doing is not right," Aun said. "We will pray for them to do good things instead of bad."

Curt Brown • 612-673-4767

Cambodian Buddhists abuzz about Buddha hive

Wednesday, 12 November 2008

ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) — The Cambodian Buddhist community in Rochester is abuzz over what they believe is a miracle: a wasp nest in the shape of a seated Buddha built in the eaves of their temple. The nest was spotted last week. Elder members of the community say they have never seen an apparition of the Buddha in their lifetimes.

Seventy-year-old Voeun Sor of Rochester says the hive shows the Buddha is trying to tell everybody to seek peace in their lives.

Robert Jeanne is an entomology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He says the Buddha-shaped hive could actually be four different nests formed over a couple of years. He says if someone wants to read miracles into that, that's their privilege.

Moeun Ngop is a 76-year-old monk. He has a more mystical take. He says the insects are trying to communicate Buddha's message.

Proposal For Modesto [Cambodian] Buddhist Temple Approved

Complex Planned In West Area

October 1, 2008
The Associated Press

MODESTO, Calif. -- Stanislaus County supervisors have approved a proposal for a Buddhist temple outside of Modesto.

Supervisors voted Tuesday to give the green light to the Wat Cambodian Church to build the complex west of Modesto.

The approval comes after the county's Planning Commission turned down plans for the complex because of concerns about traffic and other issues.